Stirrings and Coffee
by MayorIsHot
Summary: Final chapter added. A happy-ending story based in Storybrooke. Emma and Regina struggle with their attractions for one another. Will be multiple chapters. We have left the realm of K  :
1. Chapter 1

Yesterday had been a complete, emotional train wreck. And a physical ass beating.

Emma tried to sink deeper into her pillow as morning weaved its sinewy fingers through the window blinds. It was too early for daylight. And too early for flashbacks.

But the tank-top clad blonde couldn't fight off the visions behind her eyelids: The smoke pluming from the mouth of the mine, the countless orange vests buzzing around the collapse site, Henry's desperate reach toward her hand in the mine shaft… they all fought for dominance, flashing again and again with no reprieve. And then, they stopped.

There was another memory, now, stretching across the dark blanket of her closed eyes. The mayor, in her black sweater and tussled hair, her face filled with worry, staring right at Emma.

"He's MY son," she asserted with a bold confidence that only she could possess in such a crisis.

"He's my son, too," said Emma, seeing Regina's humanity bubbling underneath for the first time.

The two stood steadfast to the earth, unmoved. Emma's periphery was but a blur as Regina took a step toward her. Then another. In slow motion, the Mayor approached, her eyes betraying her façade and revealing some soft emotion that Emma couldn't at this point label. Dark eyes searched Emma's face, for …something. The blonde's breathing labored and in an instant, the two were standing only inches apart. Her eyes were soft, and the silence between them was softer.

"Just bring him to me," said the mayor.

Something had happened in those slow motion seconds that could never be undone. Emma had seen good in Regina, however small a glimmer it was, and found it moved her. And had she just given in to Emma? Had she just relinquished some small amount of control over her son? Emma found herself utterly intrigued at this point but though the tension between her and the Mayor was intoxicating, there were more pressing issues at the moment. Henry needing saving. She'd have to return to this new interest later.

"Emma," a sweet voice called across the room.

"Would you like some coffee?," asked Mary Margaret.

"I'd like a deep tissue massage, a bottle of Advil, and a psychologist. But a coffee will do."

The gurgling of the coffee maker drew Emma completely back to reality, and away from the warmth of the pillow… and the Mayor.

"Ugh. What _gives_?" she mumbled in the midst of her confusion. Mary Margaret peered around the corner, finding Emma with her eyebrows furrowed.

"Everything okay? You seem… annoyed," asked the teacher.

"No, no I'm fine, actually. Just a rough day yesterday, you know? Guess I didn't know how much of a beating I really took in that mineshaft," replied the blonde.

"Well, it's a gorgeous day outside. Why don't you go out for a walk and loosen up? Besides…you just finished off my coffee. You could go get some more for me and kill two birds with one stone," Mary Margaret suggested.

She opened and closed her mouth, in thought. "I don't really like that saying. But I guess it gets the point across," she laughed.

"Coffee is the least I can do for you. You really have no idea how much I appreciate you letting me stay here while I figure things out," Emma said, crawling out of bed and picking out some clothes to throw on. "Is there anything else you want me to grab while I'm out?"

"If you happen to find a deep tissue massage on sale, you can bring that back with you," said Mary Margaret through a smile.

"No problem," replied Emma, as she grabbed her boots from the floor. The door clicked on Mary Margaret's exit and Emma pulled on a white t-shirt and jeans, finding her whole body sore to the core. That walk was definitely a good idea.

A few minutes later, Emma left her room looking naturally stunning as always.

"Wow. You really have that Mr. Gold impression down pat," said Mary Margaret in jest over Emma's slight limp.

"Ha," replied Emma sarcastically as she grabbed her coffee, which her roommate had already put in a travel mug. She took a sip of the cinnamon concoction and it warmed her to the core, sending energy through her veins and renewing her. Hopefully today would be much less eventful than the previous. She made her way to the door and grabbed her badge from the counter. "Never hurts to be prepared," she thought.

"If you head out now, you'll probably kiss the mayor," called Mary Margaret from across the room.

Emma froze, her mind flashing to the mine and the Mayor, and her stomach stirred. "What?" she croaked through a broken voice.

"The mayor is usually at the coffee shop on Saturday mornings. She does her politicking with the locals over their coffee and then heads to the office. If you head out now, you can probably miss her before she gets there," she clarified.

"Oh, right," responded Emma. What the hell is wrong with me, she thought, struggling to get Regina's face out of her mind as she reached for the doorknob. After a few seconds, her fingers finally found their grip and she exited the apartment. Mary Margaret was right. It really was a gorgeous day, fitting, like the day after a hurricane. She soaked in the feeling of cool air blowing back her hair and she turned the corner and headed toward the coffee shop. But her mind again went back to yesterday, and a pain went through her leg.

"Son of a bitch," she complained and grabbed her leg. She stopped about 10 yards from the apartment, and looked around her. It was such a beautiful day. There really was no reason to hurry to the coffee shop, especially nursing an injured leg. "Really, what's the harm in taking it slow?" she thought, her mind filled with flashbacks, and her stomach stirring.

An hour later, Emma walked through the coffee shop door, a tinkling bell announcing her entrance. The place was quaintly busy, something she wasn't used to in Boston. There were a few empty tables but plenty of people milling about and browsing through newspapers. The aroma of coffee hit her suddenly as the espresso maker began revving. She gulped down the rest of her own coffee and approached the counter for a bag of Mary Margaret's favorite blend. The cash register chimed, money was exchanged, and Emma turned away. But she wasn't quite ready to leave.

She scanned the crowd and saw only unfamiliar faces, and a well of disappointment drew up inside of her. "Advil" she thought. "That's what I need, and I'll be golden." She made a mental note to swing by the pharmacy on the way back to the apartment and then made a B line for a corner table near the door and sat down slowly. She groaned again as she shifted in the chair and again resorted to her potty mouth, which always made her feel a bit better. "Son of a…"

The door chimed and swung open.

"Bitch," finished Emma.

"Well I knew we weren't on the best of terms, but really, Miss Swan, I'm surprised by such hostility so early in the morning and so soon after yesterday," a cool voice emanated from above.

Flashbacks.

Stirrings.

At least her lame leg was good for something…

"Madame Mayor," Emma began to explain, "I wasn't talking about you. I was – "

"Miss Swan, I know you weren't referring to me. You wouldn't dare…" she said through the smile that Emma had subconsciously imprinted in her brain over the past 2 weeks. "Though you have to admit, the timing _was_ coincidental," said Regina.

Emma could only nod as she tried to inconspicuously take in the Mayor. She wasn't as formal as Emma was used to seeing her. The brunette was dressed in a pair of professional looking jeans and a tight black sweater reminiscent of the one Emma had grown used to in her flashbacks. The blonde was impressed - maybe even Regina took a day off during the weekend.

Emma returned her focus to the Mayor's eyes and found a confused expression awaiting her.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" asked the deputy, attempting to hide her humiliation over her distractedness.

"I asked if you were okay. You seem … not yourself this morning. You're… quiet," said the mayor with what Emma sensed was a teasing tone.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine, thank you, just a little sore is all."

"Yes, well… certainly for a good reason," Regina responded quietly, her eyes cast downward for a split second. Emma noticed, though, and was reminded of the warmth she had felt yesterday -and this morning.

"Well, I won't keep you any longer, Deputy. Enjoy your day off," said the Mayor as she turned and walked toward the back of the coffee shop. She was soon after approached by a couple who seemed very inquisitive about the mine incident and wanted to know if any other areas of the town were prone to collapse.

Emma watched, completely amazed at Regina's confidence and ability to assuage the residents' fears. She stood tall and spoke articulately, calm and collected, completely professional, and flawless, really. She smiled charmingly, or unnervingly, depending on your interpretation, and listened as the couple continued discussing the incident. The blonde was caught completely off guard as Regina ever so slightly turned her head and glanced her way. She was even more surprised at Regina's response upon realizing Emma had noticed. The Mayor quickly turned back toward the couple and … was she blushing? Emma saw a slight pink hue creep across her boss' face, but had little time to scrutinize as Regina ended the conversation and made her rounds with other community members.

Stirrings and flashbacks.

Emma got up quickly, completely disregarding her soreness, and left the coffee shop. After such a tumultuous day yesterday, this was a little much. Emma knew all along, though, that there was something she found intriguing about the mayor. After their first meeting, she grew to crave run-ins with Regina, but she initially explained that desire away as an attraction to conflict. After all, conflict was the dominant theme in her life. But after yesterday, she understood that there was a bit more involved than just attraction to conflict.

"Oh my god," whispered Emma, as she leaned against the outside wall of the coffee shop. She closed her eyes and let her head slide backward against the wall, letting out a sigh. "How the hell am I going to deal with _this_?" she thought.

Meanwhile, Regina ordered an espresso and scanned the coffee shop, focusing on the corner table. Finding it empty, she let out an inaudible sigh and walked over to it. She had hoped Emma would still be there, and that she could exchange a few more combative remarks with her. She had begun to crave these exchanges ever since she had brought that apple basket to the deputy at the Inn. She hadn't been able to shake the memory of that afternoon – when Emma answered the door, she was thrown off guard. It took her a second to remember she had come with the intent of delivering a threat. She was thrown even more when Emma stood her ground, looked her right in the eye and threw the gauntlet over the doorway. For once in her life, she had felt totally challenged, and totally attracted to someone else. But this would never work, and her reputation could not survive her acting on any … feelings…

Since then, Regina had struggled over her attraction and hoped it would subside. She realized yesterday, though, that this problem was only going to escalate. She had almost given herself away while she was vulnerable, and hoped to god no one else had noticed the way she approached Emma at the mine. She was surprised she let herself go that far, but in that moment of helplessness, she found the closer she got to Emma, the more she could cope with Henry's being trapped. She basked in that flashback and pulled her coffee in closer to her.

"No way in hell _that's_ ever going to happen," she whispered to herself, leaning back in her chair. Upon shifting, her foot hit something under the table. The Mayor leaned down and picked up a bag of coffee. She squeezed her hand around it, and the bag crinkled. Looks like someone forgot her coffee, thought the mayor. Her stomach stirred as she stared at the bag, a thousand thoughts buzzing through her mind. In true mayor fashion, she made a quick decision.

Regina grabbed the bag and her espresso and left the coffee shop before she normally would on Saturdays. She walked briskly toward Ms. Blanchard's apartment. To the casual observer, the Mayor was completely in character, walking confidently through the streets like she owned the town… because she _did_ own the town, sort of. But with each step, she wondered how this would play out and if this exchange would be as intoxicating as all the others had been.


	2. Resolve Dissolves

Emma needed to loosen up a little more before returning to the confines of her apartment. The pain in her leg had migrated to her head, not an uncommon side effect of a run-in with the Mayor, and she figured she may as well go to the Pharmacy for a super-sized bottle of Advil while she was out. Odd, it was so quiet. An occasional car passed by Emma as she walked along and an occasional bird warbled from a nearby tree, but silence accompanied most of the blonde's journey to the drug store.

It bothered Emma, this quiet Saturday morning. She wasn't quite used to it yet, only having been in Storybrooke a couple of weeks, and she found it invited a swarm of thoughts into her mind. In Boston, she didn't have to chase away memories of failed dates or encounters with bail-jumping assholes – the cab drivers who seemed to be bucking for negligent homicide charges did that for her, as did the police sirens and throngs of pedestrians that polluted every street corner. Boston was the slayer of fire-breathing recollection, Storybrooke was its cave. If she couldn't find a way to adapt, she'd lose it, Emma knew it. Especially now that she was conscious of her attraction to the one woman in town who liked absolutely nothing about her.

"Ugh. I hope they've got a two-for-one on special," she mumbled to herself as she walked in, accompanied by a jingling bell.

…

A block away, Storybrook's Mayor continued her path to Ms. Blanchard's apartment, playing out the next few minutes in her mind. She had nothing scripted, which wasn't normally an issue. Speaking off the cuff and playing to crowds was her forte, but it was always more difficult with Emma. Sure, her acerbic wit was still in its holster and her resolve still in place when she conversed with the deputy, but there was an odd latency to all of it lately. Where she would normally deliver a counterpunch within a split second at Town Hall, she found her insults and patronizing remarks came only after a few blinks when Miss Swan was the target.

She would have to adapt, she realized. Emma had been here only a couple of weeks and already Regina's invincibility had become less convincing. "How the hell am I supposed to do _that_," she thought, now cognizant of her attraction for the one person in town who despised her most.

This would be a good opportunity for practice, Regina thought. No witnesses to the exchange, or her vulnerability. She tightened her grip around the coffee, finding its tangibility eased her back into reality. In her journey away from it, she had arrived at Mary Margaret's. Now, she found herself staring at a wooden door, holding her breath.

"This is absolutely ridiculous," she whispered to herself. She cleared her throat, straightened her clothes, turned on the "Mayor" switch and knocked. "Game on," she thought as a grin of superiority spread across her face.

No answer.

Not really what Regina had anticipated. Her smile faltered for a minute, as she considered leaving, but returned immediately as the door opened.

"Miss Blanchard," she said flatly, in a business-like tone. "It seems your tenant forgot something at the café today. I think it's admirable you entrusted her with _any_ responsibility." She offered the coffee to a surprised Mary Margaret, using the teacher's change in focus to steal a quick glance inside the apartment. _No sign of her_, she thought.

"I wouldn't normally take such a detour on my way to the office, but I was feeling generous," Regina concluded.

Mary Margaret looked back up to Regina with a confused look. "That's strange. Emma should have been back by now. Do you know where she went?" she asked, sincerely concerned.

Regina scoffed. "Deputy Swan's off-duty itinerary is of no importance to me. Considering recent events, though, I wouldn't be surprised if she's off somewhere trying to corrupt my son. On that note, I have business to attend to. Enjoy your weekend, Miss Blanchard," she said, turning away from the door. Mary Margaret stood in the doorframe, her annoyance manifesting in a sigh. Never once had she had a civil interaction with Regina. It was bad enough having to withstand her condescension on a weekend, but at her _own _home? She had no idea Regina even knew her address, and honestly, that awareness disturbed her. Closing the door slowly, she considered the notion of Regina feeling generous. She laughed quietly and made a mental note to ask Emma what had _really_ happened at the café.

….

Emma walked out of the pharmacy, plastic bag in hand. The weight in her hand gave her pause.

"Wait," she thought, looking down at her empty hand. "Shit," she said, realizing she had left Mary Margaret's coffee at the shop. She hesitated on the sidewalk, torn in two directions. She knew Regina was still at the coffee shop. The memory of that glance she was never intended to see pushed her that way, but the part of her that had become used to solitude pushed her back toward the apartment.

"I can't do this," she thought. She considered how absolutely ridiculous the situation was. The few experiences she'd shared with women had been the result of alcohol and boredom. Come to think of it, _every_ relationship or date she'd had in the past 10 years had been the result of alcohol and boredom. She knew she had a fear of being close to anyone, and was fine with that. It made every bit of sense. It would just hurt too damn much to get a taste of what she wanted most only to lose it. Maintaining the status quo was her only protection. These internal pep talks had become a regular part of her life, and she'd already dusted off too many emotional cobwebs with Henry. Everything she was willing to give would go to him. She'd already dropped her defenses for him, and there was no room for anyone else in to come in and demand vulnerability.

"Really? Emma? As if anyone else would want to?" she thought, chastising herself for entertaining the idea. She laughed out loud and decided right then that she would distance herself from the Mayor. She was not a fool. She knew she couldn't dissipate the attraction she felt toward her – she was beautiful, headstrong, and brought out an energy in her that reminded her she was still capable of feeling, the latter having been accomplished before by no one.

She brought her hand up to the badge clipped to her hip, inside her jacket. She couldn't run away this time. Not from Henry, not from her responsibilities as a deputy. The metal under her fingers brought her out of her internal reflection. She would stay here, at least for now, and help Henry as she could, and stay away from Regina Mills.

But how does a deputy completely avoid the town's Mayor? For starters, she doesn't visit the coffee shop on Saturday mornings anymore…

Emma took a deep breath, steadied herself and lifted her eyes from the sidewalk. She headed toward the apartment, knowing her roommate would be forgiving of her forgetfulness. Besides, she had all afternoon to run back downtown and pick up that coffee. Thank God Town Hall wasn't along the way.

…

The Mayor stepped out from the apartment building, her heels clicking against the sidewalk. The sun was beaming and the sudden shift in brightness forced Regina to squint for a few seconds as her eyes adjusted. She was annoyed at what a waste of time that detour had been, and her body was full of tension. She had worked herself up in anticipation of another confrontation, and had been given no opportunity for release. If Graham was free later tonight, she supposed she could call him over to deal with it. His willingness to appease was his best attribute, and she knew he'd show up, tail wagging, upon request. Going through the motions in that way was monotonous as hell, but it was _something_ at least – her only worry was that Graham would start to have real _feelings_. She shuddered thinking of what an inconvenience that would be, dealing with a fawning sheriff. Perhaps she would skip that phone call tonight, afterall.

Regina took a deep breath and exhaled. It did absolutely nothing for her, her body was still as stiff as a board, and she felt the ebb and flow of a slight ache in between her eyes. She started toward Town Hall, approaching the corner when the silence of this Saturday all of a sudden lifted. She heard a loud crinkling noise and footsteps beyond her view and suddenly was standing face to face with her antagonist. Within a second, she felt relief, anxiety, and vulnerability, but had a hell of a way of hiding it. She tightened her lips, stiffened her posture and resumed her earlier state of mind. She said nothing, and stared at Emma, waiting for fireworks, her stomach stirring.

"Madam Mayor," Emma stated matter-of-factly, hoping the dark haired woman hadn't noticed her quickly rising and falling chest.

"Deputy Swan," responded Regina, her voice smooth and unbroken.

"What are you doing here?" asked the deputy, kicking herself for not merely bidding her boss good day and continuing inside. A conversation was not the way to go about 'avoiding the mayor'.

"Not that it's really any of your business," said Regina, raising her eyebrows, but I was just returning something that belonged to Miss Blanchard. I'm a bit concerned, though, really, because I can't see how I can trust you with the safety of this town if you can't even remember a bag of coffee," chided the Mayor.

"You actually brought it by here?" asked a surprised Emma. She shoved her left hand in her pocket. "Thanks. Yeah, I was just really distracted this morning and all. Fortunately, no one got hurt," she said sarcastically. "You didn't have to do that. It's not really on your way to Town Hall. I was going to drop back by later on to get it. But, yeah, I appreciate that. I'm sure Mary Margaret does, too."

Ugh, this was awkward small talk. Emma just wanted to bolt upstairs and crumple onto the couch. There was no way in hell she was breaking eye contact with Regina, something that would have given the Mayor satisfaction, but the physical effects of Regina's gaze were becoming obvious, Emma was sure. She kept imagining Regina stepping forward, closing the distance between them, and replaying the mine scene in her head. But this wasn't the mine. This was a street corner. And her she was, standing in front of the Mayor on a street corner doing nothing but holding a bag and breathing heavy.

"If you don't mind me asking, Miss Swan, what on earth could be distracting you? You have no real friends here, no responsibilities other than paper-pushing on the night shift, no bills to pay as you're sleeping on a couch, and no family to worry about" Regina was pushing too hard, she knew it. This degree of insult was befitting of their first few conversations, but not now, not after the mine and their civil conversation this morning. She hoped Emma wouldn't think too much about it.

Emma felt sick. She felt as if she were being pressed into the sidewalk from above, like a bug under a sneaker. She knew Regina disliked her and wanted her gone, and Emma, herself, had decided she was going to detach herself as much as possible from this attraction. But, she hurt inside, and tried desperately to find any artifact of humanity in the Mayor's eyes that she had seen before at the mine and earlier today in the café.

Regina watched as Emma's mouth opened, and she prepared herself for an equally harsh remark, but nothing came. Emma closed her mouth and nodded, her eyes softening.

Emma tried to appear unaffected, and knew she needed to end this interaction immediately for fear of her vulnerability becoming apparent.

"So I guess we're taking that two steps forward, one step back approach, huh?" She laughed unconvincingly. "I think it's pretty obvious that we both share a point of distraction. It's kept us pretty busy the past few days," she said, having no idea just how true a statement that was.

Regina's mind flooded with memories of Henry at the mine, and then of Emma bringing him to safety, and then of the closeness they had shared before he was rescued. She remembered how close she had allowed herself to come to Emma, mere inches separating them at on that dirt mound at the mine. They were in similar positions now. Regina was standing in front of the blonde, a turbulence of emotion wreaking havoc within her, and she felt a desperate need for closeness. Only, at the mine, she had allowed herself to be _herself,_ and, now, she refused to yield to temptation. She had to maintain control. She could not show any sign of weakness. She was Mayor in this town, and Henry's mother. Those two roles didn't allow for apologies or closeness now.

"Right," said Regina, feeling sick at the moment. She was tired of pushing down the intense desire to reach out and grab Emma Swan and to break down in her arms. She was tired of having no one. She didn't just _want_ the blonde who showed up out of nowhere and brought her to life, she wanted Emma to want her in return. She was tired of wanting impossible things.

This had to end now. Tears began welling up in the Mayor's eyes. Emma noticed.

"…Regina…? Are you…?"

The Mayor cleared her throat and looked away quickly. "Deputy, I really do have to get to work. Enjoy your evening," she trailed off as she turned the corner.

Emma's thoughts were louder than Boston. She was emotionally and physically exhausted. She had decided she would avoid the woman who had been consuming her every thought only to be insulted by her 20 minutes later. And when she had lost every bit of hope of finding … hope…, Regina became emotional, though Emma was unsure why. But she had become vulnerable, again, in front of Emma, and it made her ache with longing. She wanted to hold Regina, and let her breakdown in her arms, and show her that she wanted her.

And so she was back to square one. Back to the mine and the coffee shop. And the subtle blush. And now, tears. And… had she called the Mayor by her first name?


	3. Withdrawal

**Thanks to everyone for all the reviews and input. Knowing I have an audience makes the story so much more fun to write. I promise the angst will be worth it!**

**Chapter 3**

It was Wednesday evening. Emma had managed to avoid Regina for the past four days, but still hadn't shaken her withdrawal symptoms. Though her interactions with the Mayor had never really been pleasant, they always opened the circuit to her emotion, for better or worse. She'd gone close to a week now without that emotional electricity, and it left her tired and lifeless.

Tired and lifeless Emma was still dreaming about Regina, too, which wasn't necessarily an unwelcome symptom of her deprivation. At least there, in her sleep cycle, she could look into the Mayor's eyes, and feel her closeness. Sometimes, on a good night, she'd even wrap her arms around Regina, pull her close, and rest her cheek on her shoulder. She'd relive her last interaction with her on the street corner, but relive it in a better way: with a feeling and reciprocity that, in the conscious world, simply _could not be_. Perhaps the dreams were not a withdrawal symptom – perhaps the true symptom was the waking from those dreams, for the catapulting back into reality was what caused pain.

"You know what you need, Emma?" offered Mary Margaret as she sipped her hot chocolate on the sofa. "You need to stop being afraid. I've seen it, you know. So has everyone else. I know you have feelings."

Emma looked up from the newspaper, swallowing hard. Mary Margaret _knew_.

"Storybrooke is a new page for you, a new chance," the teacher continued. "Don't waste it by inviting in all the doubt and defense you've used as protection in the past. Just… go for it," she said, with a comforting smile.

"Go for what?" asked Emma, her voice shaking. She dropped the paper in her lap, her hands also trembling.

"Graham," said Mary Margaret. "Be open to it. Let yourself be happy." She responded, with another sincere grin. She patted Emma's hand knowingly and stood up. "I've got to go grade some projects. Do you want to come along with me to the cafe? You've done nothing but go to work and sleep for the past few days. It would do you some good to get out of here for a while."

"Uh, no, thanks," she responded, her mind reeling over Mary Margaret's suggestion.

Graham? People in Storybrooke thought she had feelings for Graham? How? She liked him, as a boss and as a friend generally, but had never seen him as anything more than that.

"I'm actually going to shower and go get a drink," said Emma, without thinking.

Mary Margaret's face flashed a concern, but she knew Emma was a grown woman and would handle her problems in her own way. "Okay, well… if you change your mind, just give me a call. I'll be there for a few hours," she said sweetly.

…

Emma sat down at the bar, and sighed. She had been lonely for more years than she could count, and though scotch had become a great friend and listener, it never kept away the loneliness long enough. She threw back a shot and looked around.

How coincidental.

The Sherriff stood in the back of the room, taking turns throwing darts and downing shots. Emma watched and ordered another glass of liquor. Maybe Mary Margaret wasn't completely crazy. Graham was a nice guy, good looking, and Emma knew he had a good heart. More than anything, though, he was attainable.

Thud. Bullseye. The Sheriff took another shot.

Emma followed the Sherrif's example, downing her glass. She ordered a third and studied the Sheriff, appreciating his dark eyes and hair. She felt that Graham, like herself, was a loner who felt detached from the rest of the town.

Bullseye. Another shot.

All of a sudden, Emma willingly handed the reins of control over her mind and body to the scotch. "Fuck loneliness," she said aloud. She finished her drink and sat the glass down on the counter before walking back to Graham.

"Do you ever miss?" asked Emma, as she came to a stop next to the Sheriff. He turned toward her, eyes slightly red. 

"A few more of these," he picked up his empty glass, "and I may," he responded. Emma smiled at his confidence. Egos reminded her of Regina.

Withdrawal. She winced inside.

"Wanna try?" he asked, offering her a dart. Emma reach for the dart, her fingers touching Graham's as she pulled it from his hand. He had nice, clean, strong hands. Like the Mayor's.

Emma stared at the dartboard 20 feet in front of her, which began to sway as if on a pendulum. She needed to cut herself off if she was to drive back home tonight. The dart flew through the air, landing on triple 20.

"Not bad, deputy," said Graham, both he and Emma walking toward the dartboard.

"Well to be honest, I wasn't aiming for it. I was just hoping to hit the board," she laughed.

The two reached up for the dart simultaneously, their hands touching again. Emma's head was slightly spinning and she focused on Graham.

"Woah, the drinks are stronger here than back home," Emma said, almost slurring. She withdrew her hand and rubbed her temple, closing her eyes as the music in the bar pounded through her ears.

"I think it's probably time both of us called it a night. I'll walk you home," said Graham, leaving the dart embedded in the board. He threw on his leather jacket and reached around Emma, his hand on her back, guiding her to the door. Emma felt the slight pressure from the Sheriff's touch, and it comforted her. She had been craving touch for so long, and finally, she had it… from someone strong, sincere, and _real_. Her footsteps were muffled in her ears and the street lights were blinding. She felt herself losing her balance, and the next thing she knew, she was being supported by a brick wall and Graham's arm. Emma steadied herself against the cold stone, and looked up at her companion, his dark eyes glowing under the street lamp.

_Attainable_, she thought. _Real_.

She stood up straight and leaned into Graham, their lips pressing together. Both Sheriff and Deputy tasted alcohol and desperation, and it blanketed both of them in comfort. Graham pulled away first, his breath clouding in the cold air.

"I…" he started, searching for words.

"Shh," said Emma, as she leaned her shoulder against his chest. "I know…" she said, as her vision faded to black.

…

The knocking on her door drove Mary Margaret out of bed. She opened the door ever so slightly, just enough to peek out into the hallway. Her eyes grew wide, and she opened the door fully to let Graham inside.

"She's fine, just a little too much alcohol," he explained, carrying her over to the couch.

"Oh, well, are _you_ okay? What happened?" inquired Mary Margaret, unsure how to feel.

"She came in while I was at the bar, and I didn't want her walking home alone. I'll be fine, Mary Margaret, thank you," Graham explained.

Mary Margaret watched in silence as the Sheriff left her apartment. She stared at the closed door and then at Emma, who was asleep, breathing deeply. The teacher put a blanket over the blonde, a pillow under her head, and turned out the lights. She hoped Emma would be up for conversation in the morning.

…

Regina sat her cider down on her desk and reached for the telephone. The past four days had all run together: work, home, drinking until the early morning, passing out, repeat. That was her instruction manual for a life without Emma Swan. The cider eased her guilt over their last interaction and allowed her to temporarily forget the way the blonde had said her name on the sidewalk that quiet Saturday morning. The words Emma had spoken were defibrillators that sent a buzzing electricity through her entire being, shocking her heart and bringing her to life.

"God Damn it," she yelled, picking up the glass and emptying its contents with one swallow. She pounded her fist on her desk, leaning over and lowering her head. This ache was unbearable. She stood erect and threw the glass against the wall, finding comfort in the shattering sound. Fortunately, Henry was on a field trip. Regina didn't have to worry about self-control.

She impulsively picked up the phone.

"Regina?" said a tired Graham on the other end. The mayor's mind flashed back to Emma, who spoke her name so differently.

Withdrawal. She pushed the thought from her mind.

"Get over here. Now," she demanded. She was not going to spend another night longing for a woman that hated her. She would find a way to forget her. She hung up the phone and walked to the window, staring at her apple tree.

….

The doorbell rang and Regina walked clumsily to her foyer. Graham entered the house wearing a confused look. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

Regina's face was stone cold. She pulled Graham's jacket toward her and kissed him bruisingly hard. Graham knew there was no point in fighting. He had become all too used to Regina's coping mechanisms. He cared for her, because he understood her loneliness, and was not going to leave her in such a self-destructive state. He let her pull him into her office and push him against the wall, knowing he could also use this distraction.

Regina closed her eyes tightly and squeezed the Sheriff's jacket in her fingers, wanting to feel leather. She trailed her hand down his chest and to his hip, running her fingers over the badge there. She retreated further into her imagination where the leather and badge belonged to a deputy and not a sheriff.

If she couldn't forget her, then she would find _some_ way to have her.

Regina kept her eyes closed all night.


	4. Submission

**Note: This is my last "set-up" chapter. Things get rolling next go round ;)**

**Chapter 4**

"What a fucking _horrible_ day," said Regina, already on her fourth glass of cider. A developer had spent two hours trying to manipulate her into approving a new housing project in town, and it took everything in her not to lash out and smack the condescension out of his voice when he told her that her rejection would end up biting her in the ass. How dare he question her authority, Regina thought. Only one person could get away with that, and this asshole had been no Emma Swan. How dare he give Regina reason to think about her.

She needed a distraction.

Regina pulled out her cell phone, hoping Graham would again come clad in his leather jacket and carrying his badge. She hoped he wouldn't be wearing cologne this time. It made her imagination work harder, and it made the shower the following morning much longer. Scrubbing away reality was time consuming.

No answer. "What the fuck does he think he's doing at 10 p.m.?" she asked angrily to no one in particular. She clenched her jaw and threw on her coat. If she stayed alone in doors tonight, something was bound to get broken. Again.

She took a few flowers from their vase on the table and headed to the one place in Storybrooke where she felt a little more alive than those around her.

…

If Emma was going to stay in Maine, she was going to have to invest in a more suitable jacket. The night was cold as she and Graham walked the beat together, both knowing that, eventually, this walk was going to take on a less professional and more personal character.

"Okay, Graham, you know what? Just stop for a minute. This is pretty ridiculous. We've got to talk about what happened." Emma prompted, hands going to her pockets signaling her unease.

Graham sighed and turned to face her. "Well you certainly know how to pick a spot for conversation," he said, glancing around the cemetery.

"Well at least here, the only ears listening are six feet underground," she said with a smirk.

"Good point," he replied, sitting down on the steps to the nearest memorial. Emma followed suit and they both took a deep breath.

"Graham, I think you're a great person, and if my head were screwed on right, I'd want last night to be anything but a fluke, but…," she started.

"If you want to keep things professional, that's fine Emma. We were both drunk. Honestly, I think things could get quite messy if we tried to start something here," he said, wincing upon imagining Regina's reaction.

"Totally. I'd rather keep you as a friend and not start seeing someone I work with. That never ends well," Emma confessed, feeling a huge wave of relief. The scotch and Mary Margaret's suggestions had gotten the best of her last night, she knew it when she awoke on her couch this morning. More than anything, she was concerned that she may hurt Graham when it all came out. Now, she didn't have to worry about hurt feelings.

She had her own feelings to worry about, and they were beyond manageable now. She was teetering on the precipice of sanity, and the memories of Regina all wound together to form a tightrope beneath her. The longer she went without seeing her, the thinner that rope became. It was only a matter of time, now, before she fell someplace deeper than she'd ever been.

Graham snapped Emma out of her desolate thoughts.

"I do want you to know, though, that I know how lonely Storybrooke can be. I'm always here if you want to talk, okay?" he said with a sincerity that Emma wasn't used to. She leaned in and hugged Graham, whom she realized had become a real friend over the past few weeks. They were kindred spirits - both roaming around for a fulfillment that eluded them constantly. She rested her chin on the Sheriff's shoulder and closed her eyes. The leather under her hands wasn't quite the texture her fingers craved, and his shoulder wasn't the delicate one she usually fell into when she slept, but it would do.

"What the hell is this?" said a voice some feet away.

Regina.

Emma knew her voice anywhere. It had been five days since she'd seen the Mayor, but she remembered every detail from their last meeting. And the one before it, and the one before that one. She quickly stood and turned to the woman she had been craving for the past week. Emma was concerned upon seeing Regina's state. She was disheveled, eyes heavy and red with intoxication – certainly not the orderly vision that had clouded Emma's thoughts over the past week. Regina looked how Emma felt – like shit.

"Madam Mayor, are you okay?" asked Emma, her concern obvious.

"I asked you two a fucking a question," spat the Mayor, splitting Emma's tightrope.

"What are you doing at my father's grave?" she slurred, every word dripping with rage.

"We're on patrol," answered Graham, taking a step toward Regina.

"No, you're taking a break for foreplay. Is that why you couldn't answer your goddamn phone, Graham? Hmm? Because your hands were otherwise occupied?" she said, already sure of the answer.

This was too much for Regina. She had already had a terrible day. She was drunk and angry, and now, in her hopes to clear her mind, she stumbles upon the woman who drove her to drink and the man who acted as a reminder of her control. And they're _together_. Regina's eyes flashed from Graham to Emma. She allowed herself a second to stare into Emma's green eyes, and allowed herself one last time to imagine what it would feel like to lean against her and let everything go. A tear fell down her cheek, leaving behind it a trail of betrayal and broken hope.

"Why do you have to take away everything that I hold dear?" she asked harshly, hating Emma for making her feel alive only to take away her life now, after all the nights she spent next to her in her mind.

Emma's concern transformed in an instant. How dare Regina do this. Again. How dare she show up out of nowhere and unlock the cage around her heart only to slam it shut seconds later. She wore the key around her neck, always standing just far enough from Emma to remind her that its liberation wasn't up to her. Only Regina could set it free.

This had to end tonight, she thought, suddenly hating this woman who painted her dreams _every. single. night. _with that smile and open arms that dissolved every bit of armor Emma carried with her. She hated her for that trickery.

"This has nothing to do with her, "said Graham, hoping to diffuse the situation, but knowing Regina was seconds from lashing out. This was the Regina he knew, the ticking time bomb whose animalistic instincts won out over everything else when she was at her lowest or about to lose control of a situation. He wondered, though, what had pulled her down today. It was something big, something that had been building for a while, but he couldn't figure it out.

Emma hadn't heard Graham. Neither had Regina. Both were staring at each other, blinded to everything else around them.

"Maybe it's not me, _Madam Mayor_. Maybe it's you. You need to take a hard look in the mirror and ask yourself why everyone runs away _from you_, "said Emma, pushing every one of Regina's buttons. The latter comment buried its way into her chest like a bullet passing through in slow motion. She had lost Emma. She had even lost the fantasy of Emma. Emma had, as Regina feared from the beginning, run away from her, too.

And so there was nothing left to lose.

Graham had Emma. Emma had Graham and Henry. She had no one left… and so the animal took over. Regina reared back and delivered a right hook to Emma's face. Emma's jaw didn't shatter like glass, and the contact didn't absolve Regina's pain like the liquor usually did. But she had to fight. She had to fight off this addiction.

Emma's body was set to autopilot. She had been hurt by Regina's words too many times, and though this pain was easier to take, it was further evidence that the brunette was never going to be hers. Her adrenaline flew into her fingertips and before Emma realized it, she was throwing her clenched fist into Regina's mouth. Regina had to catch herself, being knocked off balance, but before she could compose herself, Emma's arms were wrapped around her.

Regina yielded right then. Even if she left tonight bruised and hated, at least Emma had held her. At least Regina had finally felt the leather of Emma's jacket surrounding her and the heat of Emma's body merging with her own. She wasn't using the Sheriff as a proxy, and she wasn't drinking Emma's warmth into being. She submitted to the blonde's force, relishing in it, knowing it was only temporary and that it would likely be the last contact they would share. She tried to memorize the feeling of Emma's arms around her waist, the pressure Emma's torso placed on her back, and the way blonde's hair fell around Regina's shoulders, tickling her neck. Regina blocked out every sensation that wasn't created by Emma. Suddenly, the air had no temperature, and her own exhaling made no sound. There was only the warmth from Emma, the sound of her boots in the grass stiff with frost, the slight whisper of Emma's breath in her ear. Suddenly, Emma picked her up and was pushing her toward the wall. Regina felt Emma's strong arms throw her against it and watched calmly as the deputy reared back to punch her once more. She wanted it, she wanted anything that prolonged the encounter. She wanted this memory to be stronger than any other, because she knew she'd turn to it over and over again after the blonde left her life.

And just as it had began, it ended abruptly.

Emma screamed animalistically as Graham pulled her away from Regina. She wasn't finished. There was more frustration and pain in her body that needed release, but once her contact with Regina was broken, her mind began to function again.

This was wrong. All wrong.

She wondered all of a sudden why they had started fighting in the first place. The only thoughts in her brain were the memories of Regina's strong body under her own and how she gave in to Emma's touch. She knew Regina had not resisted. She knew the pounding rhythm of her own heart had not been jump started by adrenaline, but contact. And she knew the stirrings in her stomach had been prompted by the proximity between her and the Mayor when Emma had pressed her into the wall. In that second that Emma was holding her against the cold brick, she stared into Regina, searching for that sidewalk vulnerability, that café-blush vulnerability, that collapse site vulnerability.

And she saw it.

She saw submission and yearning. For what, she wasn't sure. But now, as Graham restrained her from the Mayor, she knew she ignited a feeling in Regina, and she knew Regina was willing to relinquish control, to become powerless, in order to feel it. It must have meant a hell of a lot to her, then.

Emma stared at Regina. "It's not worth it," she said, before leaving, unsure what she really meant.

"Why did I just say that?" thought Emma. "It's _all_ worth it."

She would find a way to fix this. She would find a way to feel tonight all over, without the animosity. For the first time, she _truly_ thought she had a chance to not feel _for_ Regina, but _with _her. Emma realized then that the memories of Regina weren't her tightrope, they were her safety net.

"Totally worth it," she smiled quietly as she walked home, remembering the texture of Regina's wool coat under her fingers, and the warmth of Regina's shoulder under her chin.

Regina picked up her flowers as Emma and Graham left. She stared at the petals marred with dirt. Their innocence had been lost in the scuffle. Regina knew hers had too. She closed her eyes and leaned back into the wall, finding it still warm.


	5. Appetizers

**It's been a while since I've posted, but I'm not culpable. *cute face* Blame the strep throat and exams I had this week. I had originally intended there to be more to this chapter, but I wanted to give you all something to keep you interested. Chapter 6 will be more substantive, but I hope you can still enjoy this "appetizer" of a Chapter. **

**Also, if you want to chat about this story or ever just want to chat about OUAT in general, feel free to find me on the face bxxx dot com slash izzymclean. You understand my code, I'm sure. Please note you're from Fanfiction on your friend request note, though!**

**I look forward to meeting some of you online!**

**Chapter 5 **

Regina woke up enveloped by a black comforter and gray satin sheets. What blanketed her more, though, were the memories of last night's altercation with Emma. Her head throbbed, but her heart didn't.

An unusual but not unwanted reprieve.

She rolled over toward the sunlight and took a deep breath as the warm rays sent tingles over her exposed arms and neck. She would miss the deputy… every day, but she found solace in the memory of their connection, however aggressive its character. She had let herself go when Emma's arms wrapped around her, and in doing so she felt _alive_, and realized she could _feel_. The deputy had been her hero and villain all at once. Yes, she had split her lip, but she had also whittled away at some of Regina's hardness last night, and it had saved her from raising a white flag in the battle for her humanity. She _could_ _feel_, now. And, somehow, at some point, she'd make Storybrooke aware of it. She chuckled slightly, "_That's_ gonna shock the shit out of everyone."

She rose from bed and dressed herself casually. Henry had a soccer game this afternoon and she had every intention of watching him play. She had never before found the time, but today was different. _Every_ day was going to be different from now on.

...

"I am _not_ going into work today," Emma said into her cell phone.

"I figured. On account of an ass-beating, I'll let you slide," laughed Graham on the other end of the phone. "How are you handling everything? Are you going to press charges?" he asked in a more serious tone.

"First of all, I didn't get my ass beat. Secondly, I probably deserved it. And no, I'm not going to press charges. It's actually sorta weird. I'm not… mad… at her for what she did. I actually feel _good_, which is a little scary. Not really used to it," said Emma.

"You feel _good_ after being punched, quite well if I may add, in the head?" Graham asked, confusion evident.

"Yes. Does that make me a masochist?" asked Emma, jokingly.

"No. It makes you a liability," responded the Sheriff, laughing. "Oh, other line is ringing. Need to let you go. I expect you here tomorrow, Emma, but enjoy your day off."

Emma smiled and dropped her cell phone on the bed. She had two things on her agenda today: Henry's game and figuring out how to fix things with Regina. She smiled confidently. "Let's get to it," she said to herself, jumping out of bed.

…

Regina had managed to sneak out of the office in time to get to the field before Henry's game. There were a handful of parents in the bleachers, each of them gawking at Regina, murmuring among themselves. She decided to walk over and greet her surprised constituents because a little politicking never hurt.

"So who are we playing today?" asked Regina, a sincere smile following the question.

"Um, New Bern, Madame Mayor," responded one father.

"You can call me Regina when I'm in flats," she joked, getting a collective chuckle from the crowd. "I think I'm going to watch the game from over there, but if any of you want to talk or have any concerns, feel free to come over," she offered. She headed toward the sideline where Henry's team was sitting, leaving a shocked but impressed group of Storybrooke residents behind her.

"Hey you," she said to Henry, approaching him from behind.

"Mom?" asked Henry, surprise and excitement obvious.

"Yeah! I wanted to watch you kick a little tail today. Can you do that for me?" she asked, teasingly.

Henry stared at her and narrowed his eyes. "Mom, are you okay? Did you get in a fight? Do you need to go to the hospital? You may have a concussion." He said, noticing her split lip through her makeup.

Regina laughed and bent over. "I promise you I'm fine. I just got some sense knocked into me, that's all. Now, play hard…" her eyes went cold for a second and then she playfully raised one eyebrow, "or else…" she said in a dramatically lowered voice. She immediately grinned, wanting Henry to understand her playful tone.

Henry laughed and hugged Regina. "Another layer gone," she thought through closed eyes. She inhaled deeply and, after a whistle blew, let her son go. Henry darted off toward the team huddle, and Regina stepped back and folded her arms, still oozing the confidence and intimidation she always had.

"You. . . are the last person I expected to see here," said a familiar voice behind Regina. Her breathing increased rapidly. Was Emma Swan there, actually speaking to her?

The Mayor turned around, arms still folded, and took a step toward the Sheriff, her eyes immediately locking with the deputy's.

"And you… are the last person I expected to be speaking to me," Regina responded, her words less steady than normal.

"You know what," said Emma, smiling brilliantly, her voice then lowering to a whisper as she leaned forward and tilted her head slightly to the side, "maybe we should just forget our expectations." The blonde kept her forward tilt slightly longer than was necessary to relay the message.

It seemed as if the two had switched their usual roles, Emma being confident and strong and Regina allowing someone else to lead the conversation.

And then the Mayor was over it.

"Agreed," she said in a business-like tone that dripped with allure. "and you know, I think _everyone else_ would be well served to do the same," she added, raising an eyebrow.

Emma found herself back in her normal "captivated by Regina Mills" position. In their previous interactions, Regina would have curtly ended their dialogue and turned on her heel by now, but she remained in front of Emma, looking softly at her. And so the blonde's hands retreated to the pockets of her jeans.

Emma's obvious retreat instilled more confidence in the Mayor.

"What happened to you last night, Deputy Swan? It looks like someone beat the hell out of you," she said with a smirk, hoping it wasn't too soon or too flip of her to reference the incident. She had never dreamed Emma would speak to her again, much less do so in a, dare she say, flirtatious manner. But she sure as hell wasn't going to play it safe at this point. If Emma was here, she was going to _feel_ as much as possible, consequences be damned.

Emma laughed out loud, her eyes wrinkling at the sides. Regina watched, and felt as if her body was an instrument, strummed strings sending vibrations throughout her entire being. Emma's laugh was not only endearing, but contagious. Regina realized she, too, was laughing.

Henry looked at the two women from the field and his heart fluttered. Regina and Emma were laughing together, and it was the first time he had ever seen his adoptive mother truly happy to be with another person. He smiled and returned his attention to the game.

"Well, you should see the other chick," replied Emma, winking.

Regina couldn't hide it. Emma's assertive and unexpected come-on sent a blush up her cheeks, and wave of warmth down to her belly… and lower.

Emma noticed.

Hands retreated from pockets.

A whistle saved Regina from her obvious embarrassment. Both she and Emma looked toward the field and saw Henry getting ready to take a penalty kick.

"Oh shit, we're going to miss a PK," said Regina, and without thought, grabbed Emma's hand, pulling her closer to the field. It was as if the Mayor's fingertips were exposed wires, sending trails of sparks racing up the blonde's arms and into her heart, where they mixed with heat and blood and then traveled to her lower extremities. She glanced down at the brunette's fingers wrapped around her wrist – they were strong and feminine. Her nails were coated in clear polish and trimmed short. Emma's mind immediately went to the gutter.

Regina dropped Emma's hand as they came to a stop. Henry turned back toward them and smiled, before getting set for the kick.

"What's happening? What the hell is a PK?" whispered Emma, realizing a hush had fallen over the field.

Regina tensed up and grabbed the arm of Emma's leather jacket, her fingers squeezing tightly. Emma closed her eyes, overwhelmed with physical sensation. Regina glanced sideways momentarily, and noticed her effect. It empowered her… and aroused her. She then remembered Emma had asked a question.

"Just watch," she said quickly, filled with anticipation, for numerous reasons.

Henry took a few running steps and drilled the soccer ball into the net. The fans in the bleachers cheered loudly and then, to Emma's shock, Regina jumped ever so slightly. If the deputy had been anywhere else, she would have missed the Mayor's excitement. Regina clapped loudly and gave a thumbs up to Henry who jogged back toward center field. Emma smiled, too, realizing something good had happened: Henry had scored, and Regina had touched her… this time without injurious intent. Last night _had_ repeated itself as she'd hoped.

She swallowed hard, remembering how she pressed Regina against the wall. Too bad _that_ part hadn't been repeated.

"I was going to make dinner for Henry after the game," Regina started, her eyes focused forward on the field.

"If you're not on duty, you're welcome to join us. I'm sure he'd love to have you there for his little victory celebration," she said confidently, still avoiding eye contact with Emma.

"Madam Mayor?" Emma said, needing clarification.

"I think you heard me," Regina said, turning to the blonde, "Emma" she finished.

Emma's tongue went to her cheek upon seeing Regina's red lips say her name. This time, it was she who tried to hide a blush. "Um…" she though, searching for words, and then finding the perfect response.

"Depends on what's on the menu," Emma managed to blurt out, picturing Regina alone in her kitchen, yielding to the blonde's aggression as she had the night prior.

"I haven't decided yet. Guess you'll have to take a chance," said Regina coyly, playing this game of brinkmanship in true Mayor fashion.

Emma chuckled, praying to god that the physical longing she felt for the woman to her right wasn't obvious. "Okay, sure. I'll join you," she said, her brain replaying over and over again Regina's obvious innuendo. She wished, at that point, that she had a spare change of clothes in the car. If the Mayor was going to keep up that kind of talk, her current ensemble was going to become extremely uncomfortable very quickly.

Regina smiled and nodded and turned back toward the game. 'Another layer gone," she thought, feeling lighter inside than ever before.


	6. Exhale

**A/N: The season has me busy, so the next couple chapters will probably be abbreviated. I hope you'll stick with the story, though! Happy Holidays to all!**

**Chapter 6**

Regina stood in her kitchen, her eyes shifting from cabinet, to refrigerator, to oven, and then to the immaculate floor. The house was quiet aside from a muted thumping coming from above, which mimicked Regina's quickly beating and, she was sure now, arrhythmic heart. Henry had bolted upstairs as soon as the two arrived home, excited to have Emma over for his victory celebration, and before too long, he'd be downstairs and ready for company. And he would be hungry. And Emma would, too. And she'd be here in 15 minutes.

And she had nothing planned.

The Mayor tapped the fingers of her right hand on the counter and bit slightly on her left index finger as she considered options: have something delivered, take everyone out…

The corners of her mouth turned upwards as she considered the concept of eating out with the deputy. The silent pun wasn't something she could ignore. She exhaled slowly and gripped the marble countertop tightly, her eyes fluttering slightly.

"Okay, Regina, out of the gutter and back to the kitchen," she said to herself quietly. It was five o'clock and Emma had said she'd arrive around quarter after. The brunette wasn't really used to cooking, much less on such short notice, and she felt a culinary tempest brewing around her. She had to impress Emma, but how?

…

Emma was relieved to find Mary Margaret's apartment empty. She had neither the time nor desire to explain her itinerary.

"_That's_ going to be an interesting conversation," she thought, imagining how she would eventually tell her roommate that she and Regina had formed an alliance. And were fucking each other.

"Okay, Swan, no. Chickens haven't hatched. Stop counting," she whispered to herself as she changed into a tighter shirt. "But, God, _please_," she added with a pleading tone as she looked into the mirror. Satisfied with her appearance, she ran into the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of wine, one red, one white just to keep her bases covered.

Bases. Her heart fluttered.

….

"I'll get it!" Henry exclaimed, sprinting from the smoky kitchen to the door.

"Shit, shit, SHIT," Regina chanted to herself, feverishly trying to fan away the smoke from the detector, which turned out to be an exercise in futility. She hadn't even heard the doorbell.

Unbeknownst to the Mayor, Emma had stepped into the kitchen and was admiring the brunette's backside. Regina had changed into a tight gray skirt and v-neck sweater, a transition which Emma hoped the Mayor had made in anticipation of her visit.

Henry had run upstairs for a minute and Emma decided to seize the moment.

"Is it just me, or is it a little hot in here?" she asked with a grin, using the cliché intentionally.

Regina turned around quickly as the alarm went quiet. Upon seeing Emma, she completely forgot the smoke and unprepared dinner. She stood there with her lips parted just enough to exhale audibly. Emma looked amazing, and by the confidence of her 'arms-folded, flat-footed' stature, she knew it. Both Emma's appearance and confidence sent a streak of electricity down Regina's body.

"No, it's most certainly hot," she said robotically, impressed that her brain could form words at all. It was working overtime, flashing picture after picture of the blonde in her bedroom, and then right here in the kitchen, and then in her office. And in each of those scenes, the blonde was underneath her.

She suddenly broke free of temptation's chains and shook her head subtly. She was supposed to be on top, especially in reality.

"Where's my son?" she asked, coldly.

Emma was taken aback at the Mayor's tone. It was so…emotionless, and reminiscent of their first few meetings.

"Uh, he went upstairs really quick, why?" the deputy asked, feeling significantly less confident than she had seconds prior.

Regina dropped the dishcloth she was holding onto the counter and took two steps toward Emma. She tilted her head and slowly dragged her gaze from Emma's eyes, down to her feet, and back up, lingering a few seconds on her exposed cleavage. She then leaned in so that her lips were mere millimeters from the blonde's tresses and whispered, "to answer your question more appropriately, it certainly _is_ hot in here. But I think we're just warming up," she paused, exhaling into the deputy's ear. "Don't you?" the mayor asked rhetorically.

Emma resisted the urge to moan aloud.

Regina pulled away slowly, making sure to graze her lips across the blonde's jawline. The contact was so slight, Emma thought she may have imagined it. But the dampness between her legs convinced her that this was no daydream

"I uh…" Emma started.

"Mom!" yelled Henry, as he ran into the room. "Is everything ready?" he asked innocently.

She smiled confidently. "Not quite, sweetie. Why don't you go set the table, though, and help me out?"

As he left, Regina turned her attention to Emma and the bottles of wine in her hands.

"Why don't you free up your hands, deputy? There's a corkscrew in the drawer right in front of you," Regina suggested with an eyebrow raise.

"Red or White?" Emma asked, a bit out of breath from the previous excitement. Her hands fumbled with the corkscrew and her mind fumbled through trenches of memory.

Regina placed two glasses on the counter. "White," she instructed. "Red puts me to sleep, and I have no intention of going to bed early tonight." She stood with her back to Emma and smiled to herself. She knew good-and-well nothing beyond sensual flirtation would happen tonight, but a little teasing never hurt.

She heard Emma sigh from across the room.


	7. A Promise is a Promise

**Chapter 7**

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating: I've been at Harry Potter World for the past 4 days. I hope you enjoy this new installment and have a great New Year's! **

Regina Mills' dining room was christened in wine, soda, and laughter. Never before had the formal room been used for an actual meal, and this novelty added to the excitement of the occasion… for everyone.

The Mayor had almost burned the kitchen down in her attempts to impress Emma, and both women had quickly decided on something quick, simple, and kid-friendly for Henry's victory dinner. Pizza had been the perfect option

"Madam Mayor, I can honestly say I've never enjoyed pizza so much," said Emma as she raised her wine glass to her smiling lips. Both women were on their third glass of wine so, now, the Riesling had traversed the categorical boundary between 'beverage' and 'stimulant'.

Regina went tongue-in-cheek for a second before chuckling. She looked to her left, where Henry sat, his plate littered with pizza crusts. He was bright eyed, and grinning, and looked at her with a fondness that had slowly built up over the past few days, like a steady crescendo in a long movement. Then she turned back to Emma, the woman she knew had conducted every part of it. Without her, Regina would still be waging war against a world in which she felt villainized and misunderstood. She would have continued to wear her heavy cloak of apathy to protect herself from judgment and fear. She would have lost the opportunity to be a _real_ mother, friend, and leader.

She would have _lost_, period.

Thank God, for Emma Swan.

"Well you know I usually take credit for everything… because it's justified," she grinned knowingly, "but I think this time, it's the company that made tonight so enjoyable, deputy," she said, raising her eyebrow with the moniker.

"Mom, can Emma stay over tonight?" asked an eager Henry, knowing he was pushing his luck even with this new-and-improved mother.

Emma froze, her brain begging refusal, but her pulse pleading for affirmation.

"No, sweetheart, I'm sorry but Miss Swan has duties to attend to. Remember, she doesn't always have nights off like you do. And while we're on the subject of sleeping, I think it's about time you finish up your homework and head to bed, don't you?" she said firmly, clearly providing an unspoken answer in her question.

Henry sighed, understanding the futility in argument with the woman. Emma sighed too, internally, in relief and agony all at once. She found herself glancing out of the room at the stairwell, which she was sure was mocking her. There it stood, proudly displaying each wide, entry step, beckoning her to journey upward, but as her eyes traveled up and closer to the hallway she knew led to Regina's room, each step became smaller and twisted away from her until all was obscured.

Regina noticed Emma's sideways glance. Her fiery brown eyes were waiting when Emma shifted her attention back to the dining room and its occupants. The blonde felt a blush creep up her cheeks as she stared back down at her wine glass. She quickly emptied its contents.

She suddenly felt two little arms wrap around her shoulders. Henry was hugging her, in front of Regina, and the deputy smiled. It was the first time she felt she could freely return affection in the company of the brunette without anticipating a verbal reprimand. It was also the first time she had ever considered the concept of having a family - a real, permanent, not-going-to-change-their-minds-and-return-you-to-foster-care family. Now, she was caught in a turbulence of feeling: warmth, intimacy, maternal love, fear, and uncertainty all pushed and pulled in different directions, sending her tumbling amongst the waves of her emotion. She needed to come up for air.

"Goodnight, Emma. Thanks for coming. I'm so happy you two are friends now. Everything is just…_better_ when you two are happy," said the boy before heading up the stairs.

"Goodnight Mom," he called, as his door clicked.

Emma yearned to respond.

Regina slowly stood and surveyed the table. Two pizza boxes, napkins, wine glasses, silverware, and bottles cluttered the area. She ran her fingers through her hair and then looked down at the deputy and exhaled.

Emma watched from her seated position with a smirk, knowing full well that the mess was bothering the mayor, who probably never had this much discord in her home ever.

"It's just killing you, isn't it?" asked the blonde as she arose. "Seeing all this everywhere?'

"Well I won't lie, it _does_ get to me a little, but that's not really what I was thinking about," she said as she picked up the remnants of their celebration dinner. She balanced all but the wine glasses in her arms and hands and headed into the kitchen, luring a curious blonde in with her.

Emma followed with their wine glasses, now both empty, and walked over to the dishwasher to help Regina put away the dishes.

"Well you were definitely thinking about something. You do that…_thing_ when you're off in la-la land thinking about conflict," said Emma.

Regina closed the dishwasher and turned to face the deputy, a curious smirk on her face.

"What _thing_?" she asked, amused.

"You run your hand through your hair and sigh," answered the deputy.

"Well I suppose everyone has their idiosyncrasies, don't they, deputy? Like you and your pockets," said Regina, who had, during her response, walked up to Emma and pressed her body against her, pushing her slightly backward into the counter.

Emma couldn't breathe and her mid-section ached against the feeling of Regina's exposed thighs against her jeans.

"Pockets?" was all she could manage to get out.

"Yes. You always put your hands in your pockets when you get nervous or uncomfortable. I wonder where you'd put them if you weren't in those pants," Regina said, placing her hands on the counter, on either side of the blonde.

Emma could feel her heart in her throat and could hear it in her ears. Her blood was steaming, heating her all over, and Regina shifted her stance slightly to Emma's left. The Mayor leaned to the side and inward, her left leg now between Emma's, but applying no force.

"Since you seem to be struggling a bit right now, I'll help you. I assume you wanted to know what _was_ _killing_ me earlier, am I right?" she asked in a low tone, her lips millimeters from the blonde's ear.

Emma swallowed hard and sighed, "yes."

Emma felt Regina's hands on her own all of a sudden. The Mayor's fingers pressed gently on top of hers and then exerted a strong pressure downward, immobilizing the deputy's hands completely. Unexpectedly, Regina leaned further in, and pressed her lips against Emma's upper neck, right below her ear.

A quiet moan escaped the blonde's lips.

Regina dragged her lips lower to Emma's pulse point. She could feel the deputy's heart pounding as she closed her lips and pressed into her skin, now shifting her leg forward and gently up into Emma.

"It kills me that I promised myself earlier…" she said in a low, husky tone as she brought her lips upward and around to the corner of Emma's mouth.

"That I wouldn't take you upstairs tonight," the dark haired woman concluded, releasing her grip on Emma and moving her hand up behind the blonde's neck.

Emma had no time to object. Regina pulled Emma into her strongly, their lips meeting for the first time.

The blonde instinctively rose her right hand to the back of Regina's neck, wanting to close any amount of space between them. Her left hand was drawn like a magnet to the Mayor's waist. As Regina pulled on Emma's lower lip, the blonde turned her hand toward the floor and slowly dragged it down the Mayor's upper right thigh, stopping at the hem of her skirt. The tips of her fingers curled under the fabric and Emma pulled upward, sliding it up Regina's legs an inch.

Regina bit Emma's lip gently and tugged, before kissing her passionately one more time and pulling away, her lipstick slightly smudged. She breathed heavy and licked her upper lip slightly. Emma stared at her breathless, wanting nothing more than to sit her on the counter top and end the hiatus.

"But a promise is a promise," Regina said, winded, with a tone of regret. She grabbed Emma's hand and walked her to the door, abruptly ending the evening. Emma stared at the closed door and then back to Regina.

"I don't want you to go. But now is not the time. I think you know that, too," said the Mayor, now more confident.

She opened the door and turned back to Emma.

"It's okay. I understand. I… know. But, if you expect me to just walk out the door after you… do .._that_… to me, you're mistaken," said Emma in soft and immediate tone. She put her hands on either side of Regina's face and kissed her one last time, covering her upper lip with her mouth and tracing the underside of it with her tongue before pulling away.

"I was already in withdrawal," said Emma, smiling through quickly paced breath.

Regina's eyes fluttered for a second before swallowing hard and focusing on Emma. The cold air from outside had crept through the door and was now dancing through the hall, but Regina was burning all over. She had never been a woman of weak willpower and was not going to give in now, not when things were this new. She had finally opened up to someone who reciprocated her feelings, and was not going to let haste rob her of this happiness. Not even if Emma Swan was the best kisser she had ever known. Not even if Emma Swan did have the most delicious lips she had ever tasted. Not even if Emma Swan's tongue had made every part of her body shake.

Because an hour with Emma Swan wasn't good enough. She needed much longer. She needed a forever with that feeling.

"Goodnight…Madam Mayor," Emma said, smiling and turning to leave.

The brunette paused a minute and watched the woman walk away from her home, the porch lamp casting a glow around her.

"Emma," Regina called out.

The deputy spun on her heel. "Change your mind?" she asked hopefully.

"No. But, considering our evening, and considering what I hope our future evenings might entail…" the Mayor raised an eyebrow seductively. "I think you should call me Regina."

Emma's smile lit Regina up inside. The blonde's hands went to her pockets.

"Goodnight, Regina," said Emma, sweetly, before turning around and heading out of the lamplight's reach and into the darkness of the street.

Regina closed the door and turned out the downstairs lights. She gripped the banister tightly as she ascended to her bedroom, regret and hope following close behind her.


	8. An Invitation

**A/N: I like to know how many people are reading my new chapters, and right now, the story stats are not working. So, I'm hoping you will review after you've read, if it's not too much trouble. That way I can keep track of this chapter's stats. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 8**

There wasn't enough cold water in the world.

Not after last night's encounter with Regina.

Since leaving the Mayor's house, Emma's mind had slowly transformed into a library of memory and sensation. Endless volumes of looks, touches, seductive grins, gentle shoves, and everything else derived from the previous night's happenings kept flashing through the blonde's head. Pages of recollection consumed her mind, preventing her from doing anything productive.

Emma leaned back in her chair, gripped its arms, and inhaled deeply. She was back in the Mayor's kitchen, against the counter. Regina's lips danced from her jaw to her mouth, whispering promises of things to come, and nothing but a thin skirt and tight jeans separated them from a night of tangled sheets and struggles for dominance.

"Emma, are you ill?" asked a concerned Graham.

She jolted upright in her seat, eyes opening wide. 

"Son of a bitch," she thought as she was pulled out of her daydream and back to reality.

"God, yeah," she said, a bit too enthusiastically.

"I mean, yes. I'm fine. Totally fine. I just didn't sleep that well last night. But I'm not sick, or anything. Sorry for being a little out of it," she explained while composing herself.

Graham stood still, looking at Emma strangely.

"Uhh, did I grow a third eye in the middle of my forehead or something?" she asked.

"Not that I noticed. You've just been acting strange all morning. You've had your eyes closed so tight, I thought you may be having migraines. You're _positive_ you're alright?" the sheriff pressed.

"Yes," she said firmly with a downward nod and a reassuring smile.

"Good. Well, would you mind going up front and grabbing the mail, then? You may want to stop by the coffee pot first, though, Emma. Wouldn't want you nodding off and running into a file cabinet," said a teasing Graham.

"Hardy, har, har," said the blonde sarcastically as she made her way to the office's lobby. She spotted the stack of mail on the counter and began sorting through it.

"Okay, what do we have here?" said Emma quietly. "Complaint, bill, paychecks – wonderful, a letter from the mayor's office, bill, bill… wait."

She shuffled back to a small envelope addressed to 'Ms. Emma Swan'.

From the Mayor's office.

Emma's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Anything coming from the town should be addressed to the department, not her personally.

She surveyed the room, finding it empty. She then opened the envelope.

…

"Deputy Swan,

Every year, I host an event for the town's employees to show them Storybrooke's appreciation of their service and hard work. You, as deputy, are cordially invited to attend. The party will be held at my home, Friday evening at 7pm. The dress is formal, and I expect the festivities will conclude by midnight.

If you're so inclined, I'd like for you to stay late, so that I can show you my own, personal appreciation of your contributions to the town. I do hope you'll accept my offer. Think about it for a bit, and inform me of your decision over lunch. I'll be at the café at 2pm, expecting you. This, however, is not an invitation or a request.

Sincerely,

Regina

…

The deputy loved the strength of Regina's confidence. It even manifested in a hand-written note. The boldness of the Mayor's invitation took Emma back to the previous night.

"We're just warming up, don't you think?" said the memory, as lips grazed her jawline.

Emma swallowed hard and enjoyed the electricity running through her body. If a mere memory could arouse her this much, she couldn't imagine what her personal after-party may do to her.

The blonde looked back at the envelope, noticing that it had not been postmarked. It must have been hand-delivered. She glanced at the clock and noted the time: 1:30pm. Regina must have just dropped it off on her way to the café.

Emma walked back to the department's main room and handed the remaining mail to Graham.

"You mind if I take lunch now?" she asked nonchalantly, trying to hide her excitement. "I want to grab a coffee and come back to life."

"Of course, Emma, that's fine. But may I warn you? Regina usually takes lunch around 2pm at the café. Unless you want fireworks, you may want to try elsewhere," he offered.

Fireworks sounded delicious.

"You know what? I have a feeling the Mayor and I can work things out. In fact, I hope she _is_ there. I'm sure I can smooth things over," Emma said with a smirk.

Graham raised his eyebrows in doubt. "Fine, but this time, remember to duck," he laughed in a half-joking manner.

"You're just a real comedian, aren't ya?" said Emma as she grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair and turned to leave.

"Hey, I always have a backup plan. I won't be Sheriff forever," he replied as she left the room.

Emma had grown very fond of Graham after their night in the graveyard. She really couldn't imagine a better work environment, especially now that both of her bosses had taken a liking to her. The blonde's hands went to her pockets upon a certain thought.

How would Graham react to her budding relationship with Regina? She had absolutely no clue, and it was unsettling. Both her job as deputy and her relationship with Graham were important to her… why was she just now thinking about this? And was there really any point? There was no way in hell she was going to let this anxiety take precedent over her feelings for Regina. Never before had she felt so strongly about someone, and the more she thought about the Mayor, the more she found herself considering permanency in a place – a complete anomaly in her life. She never stayed put more than a couple of years, and had always avoided anything with strings that could bind her to a place. But here she was, trading scissors for a badge.

And Regina didn't come along with mere strings. She brought chains with her, and Emma was practically running toward them. She knew there was the possibility of something special developing here in Storybrooke, and it scared the shit out of her. Falling was a scary thing, and either way she was spiraling downward. She would either end up … God, she could hardly contemplate the words… falling in love… or falling from grace. For the first time she was taking the chance that she would be abandoned, all in hopes that she would be taken in by Regina. She couldn't run from that possibility, and she couldn't let fear keep her from giving this woman and her son everything she had.

She reached down to her hip and let her fingers dance across the metal clipped there.

Permanency. Possibility.

A leaf skirted across the sidewalk in front of the deputy, scratching its edges along the pavement, breaking the silence around her. Emma put her hands in her pockets and remembered the day she ran into the Mayor outside of Mary Margaret's apartment. It had been a quiet day, then, too. Regina had stood a mere foot in front of her, insulting her and squeezing her heart with a fistful of hateful words. And on a quiet night shortly after, Emma had returned the favor, getting a punch in the face in return. Their relationship had been so volatile, and it made Emma nervous. What was she getting herself into?

"My god, Swan. Just stop expecting the worst for a second, will ya?" thought Emma, as she approached the café. Her heart began beating twice as quickly as it had been at the station, and her light cardio had nothing to do with it. She was about to walk in and face the woman who could either squeeze the life out of her or give her life new meaning.

"Oh, I'm fucked," thought Emma, opening the door. She was now completely and totally aware that she was falling for Regina Mills, which meant there were no walls left for protection.

This could hurt like hell. On the other hand, it could be the best feeling in the world.

Emma scanned the café for the Mayor. Ruby called out from the bar.

"Emma she's in the back room, just go on back there." Emma hadn't known there even was a back room here, but headed toward the door to which Ruby had motioned. She stepped into a room that Emma realized was probably used for private functions. It was rather large and nicely appointed, tables along the room's edges and a large open space in the middle.

"Deputy, how nice of you to meet me," said the most seductive voice Emma had ever heard.

Emma looked to her left and saw Regina at a table, legs crossed, hands in her lap. She stared up with her brown eyes with a look that said, "I know what you're thinking."

"Madam Mayor," said Emma professionally, unsure how to address the brunette in a public place. She glanced to her left and right to determine just how alone they were.

"Close the door," Regina said in a tone that made clear it was an instruction and not a request. Her eyes remained on Emma.

Emma did as she was told and turned back toward Regina, who had, in the seconds it took the blonde to close the door, stood and walked up to the deputy. Emma could smell her clean and fresh perfume, and it intoxicated her.

Had she even left the station? Was this another daydream? Emma put her fingers inside Regina's waistband and pulled her flush against her.

No, this was real.

Regina was surprised by Emma's assertiveness. She couldn't stifle a groan as their bodies made contact. She stared into the green eyes in front of her and then looked down at Emma's hands.

"I take it you accept the invitation, then?" asked a confident and now smirking Mayor. She used every bit of willpower available to resist backing Emma against the wall.

"I'll be at the party," Emma said in a voice slightly louder than a whisper. "But I'm still undecided about afterwards," she added, walking backwards until she reached the wall, pulling Regina with her. Normally, Regina would have been turned off by an attempt at dominance, but there was something so arousing about the blonde taking control. The mayor's mind flashed back to the graveyard. As if on cue, Emma spun around slowly, pressing Regina against the wall. The brunette was overcome with physical and emotional feeling. The contact that gave her solace weeks ago was repeating itself, but this time, it was free of animosity and frustration and was, instead, full of reciprocal longing. Regina's eyes fluttered and then narrowed. She raised one eyebrow, and said, "I'm sure I can persuade you to accept…" she began, clearly unfinished with her statement.

The brunette reached down to her waistband and removed one of Emma's hands. Regina stared intensely at Emma and slowly brought the blonde's right hand to her lips.

…"my invitation," she concluded, her lips speaking the words as they ran across Emma's right index finger.

Emma could not breathe. She could only stare as Regina used her finger to outline her lower lip. Regina was confidence in human form as she watched Emma become helpless under her ministrations. She then dragged Emma's finger down her chin, to her neck, to the top buttons of her dress shirt, which sat right at her cleavage.

"Just think, Miss Swan. Free food, free alcohol, good company…" she guided Emma's hand down the silky fabric, over her breasts and lower, down her taut abdomen. She turned the blonde's hand so that her fingers were pointing toward the floor and pressed inward, so that Emma's hand was now inside the top of her dress pants.

"And you can get all the practice you want saying my name," she said slowly, leaning in to kiss Emma's mouth while pulling the blonde's hand out of her trousers. Emma almost collapsed and she was sure she had turned purple by now. She let herself fall into Regina, her mouth moving against the Mayor's red lipstick. Regina grabbed Emma's lower back and allowed Emma to press her against the wooden wall. They kissed for a full minute, alternating from soft and gentle to harder, bruising kisses, and then back again. Emma tried to memorize Regina's smell and the texture of her lipstick. Regina focused on the taste of the blonde's lips and the taut muscles underneath her hands.

The opening of the door prompted a halt in their exchange. Emma looked toward the door and jumped a bit.

"I remember asking that we not be interrupted," said Regina, her eyes focused away from the door and on Emma. She only turned to the entrant after finishing her comment.

Ruby closed her wide-open mouth under Regina's glare, but despite her greatest efforts, she couldn't hide a surprised smile.

"Oh, goodness, I am SO sorry," she said. "I just needed to get some stock, and I forgot. I didn't expect…" she shook her head in disbelief, a smile still decorating her face.

Emma looked from Ruby to Regina, unsure what reaction she'd find on the brunette's face.

The Mayor used her right index finger to wipe away just a small bit of lipstick that had smudged during her session with Emma, and exhaled.

"I'm glad you're amused," Regina said, in an almost threatening manner.

"Not amused… just… surprised. I mean, I think it's hot," she said, in her usual flirtatious manner. "To each their own," she finished, winking.

Regina was impressed that Ruby had not been intimidated. Perhaps it really wasn't that big of a deal after all. She relaxed a bit, reminding herself that the waitress had probably hooked up with every young resident of Storybrooke, including the female residents, and that her awareness of this… incident… posed no threat to either herself or Emma.

"Yes, quite," said the Mayor. "I would appreciate it, though, if you would exercise some discretion over this… situation. I try to keep my personal life out of my professional life, I'm sure you understand," she elaborated.

"Oh yeah, totally. I mean, like I said, it's not a big deal… I think it's pretty awesome," Ruby said, making obvious her approval.

Emma was still shocked and was finding it hard to process the situation. Up to now, no one knew of her relationship with the town's leader. She assumed if things progressed, it would become public knowledge at some point, but that point would be decided by her and Regina.

Or, Regina.

Now, Regina had no control over it, regardless of what promises Ruby made. She had no idea how Regina would act, and she had no idea if there would be a community backlash over it, were it to get out.

To Emma's surprise, a smile crept up Regina's face. She turned to the blonde. "Miss Swan, don't forget our conversation." She turned back to Ruby and continued, "You, too," pointing a finger almost playfully in the redhead's direction. _Almost_.

The Mayor abruptly left the room, leaving a shocked Emma and Ruby staring at each other. Emma's hands went to her pockets.

"Should I expect a lynch mob or anything if this gets out?" asked Emma in a half-joking manner.

Ruby folded her arms and scoffed. "Please. You think you two are the first in Storybrooke? No one here cares, really. We're all just looking for our own happy endings, whatever, or _whoever_ they are. If someone finds happiness, it gives the rest of us hope," she said, trailing off at the end of her sentence. She continued, "Don't worry. You guys are fine. But seriously… you can trust me. My lips are," she pulled an invisible zipper across her lipstick-coated lips, "completely sealed."

Emma nodded. "Thanks, Ruby. So much," she said, as she walked toward the door.

"Deputy Swan," called Ruby, right before Emma left the room. "Stop worrying, and just… go for it," she said with a reassuring smile.

Emma inhaled and exhaled, thinking.

"I will," she responded.

"Hey, Ruby, where can I get a really hot dress?"

Ruby laughed. "Come on, let's talk," she said, as she walked Emma back to the café bar.


	9. Spotlight

**A/N:** I don't normally incorporate music into stories. But, I listened to the music I referenced while writing, finding it _added_ a bit of feeling to the story. So, I totally recommend listening to Pitbull and Neyo's "Give me Everything" and Usher's "Without You" in their respective places. You can pull them up on the y-tube using the following links

**Ruby's Party Music:** y-tube main address/watch?v=EPo5wWmKEaI&ob=av2e

**David and Mary Margaret's/Regina and Emma's Dance Music**: y-tube main address/watch?v=jUe8uoKdHao

Enjoy the story either way!

**Chapter 9**

Emma walked through the door of her apartment Friday evening, garment bag in hand. Finding a suitable dress for the Mayor's party had been a bit more difficult than she had anticipated. Ruby's definition of 'hot' had varied a little from Emma's, and only after a few days had the blonde finally convinced Ruby that a formal event was not the venue for an outfit befitting a belly dancer. Ultimately, though, her consultations with the redhead had been productive, and Emma was confident her chosen ensemble would please the Mayor.

"You won't believe this," said an incredulous Mary Margaret as Emma walked in. The teacher was staring at a card in her hand, her eyes scanning back and forth over the words written there.

"Is everything okay? What is it?" said Emma, unsure whether her roommate's surprise was a reaction to good or bad news.

"I got an invitation… from Mayor Mills… to her party," said the brunette, quietly.

"Um, isn't every public employee supposed to get one?" asked Emma, now entirely confused.

"Every employee the Mayor doesn't hate, yes," said Mary Margaret, explaining further. "I've never understood why, but Regina has always disliked me. It hasn't bothered me, really, because Regina's not the sort of woman I'd try to be friends with, but… this is the first time I've ever been included in one of her events. Honestly, I'm a little wary. Why would she all of a sudden decide I'm _worthy_ to attend?" she asked aloud, with a chuckle and dash of sarcasm.

Emma threw her garment bag over the couch. She had never known any animosity existed between her roommate and the Mayor, or at least, any more animosity than Regina normally felt toward most people.

"I didn't know you two had issues. Do you think it's because you're Henry's teacher and she just wanted to avoid any possible conflicts there?" suggested Emma, desperately hypothesizing a justification for the Mayor's sentiment. The idea of Regina disliking Mary Margaret was unsettling.

"I haven't been Henry's teacher forever. I honestly can't remember her ever being more than civil to me." She paused in reflection. "But you know what? I think everyone can change, and I'm certainly not going to sit at home when there's a fabulous party in town. Maybe, I should have a more open mind about her…" she said, awaiting a response from Emma.

"Well, I think she's definitely become less… scary… over the past couple of weeks. I mean, most of the town is murmuring about it. I'm not sure what's up, but I… am definitely a fan. God knows I used to be a complete mess. Sometimes it just takes a good knock in the head to set you straight," said Emma, her voice trailing off as her mind flashed back to her and Regina's fight at the graveyard.

Mary Margaret stared at Emma, her hand dropping to her side. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"Emma," she prompted.

"Huh?" responded a now less distracted blonde.

Mary Margaret kept silent for a few seconds, and leaned against the countertop, folding her arms.

"…_You_… wouldn't have anything to do with this would you?"

Emma stared back at the brunette, a thousand words swarming through her head, buzzing loudly and cluttering her brain. She couldn't find a proper response. Her mouth opened and closed like a nutcracker's. Mary Margaret gasped.

"Oh. My. God. Emma…you _have_ done something. Did you threaten her or something? You know that woman is dangerous, and I think you should be really careful if you're going to continue – "

"It's not like that," interrupted Emma, the buzzing drones now flying downward, into her stomach. She took a deep breath and stared up at the rustic ceiling. Did she even have a right to tell Mary Margaret about her, dare she say, relationship with Regina? Emma exhaled through puffed cheeks and looped her thumbs around her belt loops.

"Mary Margaret, ever since I showed up in Storybrooke, you've been this … support… for me. And I don't know if your heart is just _that_ good or if you felt some connection with me, but… either way, you're a big reason I'm still here. And… I feel like I can trust you and be honest with you, and, there's something I want to say, but I'm not sure how you'll react. I've never really given a shit about what people think, but your opinion is different, and…" Emma rambled.

"Okay, Emma. Stop." Mary Margaret approached her, and grabbed her arm lightly, giving it a supportive squeeze. "You're safe with me, you know that. We've both gone through a lot together over the past month or so, and I'm here for you no matter what," she said sweetly.

Emma could not control her breathing. Her pulse deafened her. Gravity pressed her into the floorboards.

"Now or never, Swan," she said internally.

"I'm seeing Regina," she said, more confidently than she had expected. Her eyes shifted from the wooden floor to Mary Margaret's face.

"You're…_seeing_… the Mayor," said the teacher, emphasizing the verb, trying to interpret the admission properly. "Oh, my god, you and Mayor Mills are seeing each other, as in … _seeing_ each other?"

"Well, we're doing more than looking at each other…" said Emma, raising her eyebrows and looking away.

Mary Margaret laughed. "I'm sorry, Emma, it's not really funny. I just… never in a hundred years would I expect this."

"Tell me about it," said Emma, a little more comfortable now that Mary Margaret hadn't fainted or asked for a paper bag.

"Okay, you have to tell me everything. When did this start?" asked an eager-to-know roommate. Before Emma could speak, Mary Margaret threw up her right hand. "Wait! Oh my god, it was never about Graham, was it? Wow, I was such an idiot! It has been Regina all along, hasn't it?" she asked.

Emma bit her lip and nodded. "Yep"

Mary Margaret laughed again. "Emma Swan, you have absolutely made my day. Nothing exciting ever really happens here. And you come along and sweep our unpleasant, brooding Mayor off her feet? Does anyone else know?" she asked the last question in a serious tone.

"Well I haven't swept anything. Yet. And, no one else knows, and I'd like to keep it that way. I just had to tell someone, and I wanted it to be you," said Emma sweetly. "I know it doesn't make a lot of sense, but it just _happened_ and I haven't been this excited in forever. I'm really happy, Mary Margaret. And I'm also super scared. All my relationships have sucked, which has been fine because I wasn't really too invested in them, but this is different. I have no idea what I'm doing," confessed Emma.

"Does anyone ever?" asked Mary Margaret, smiling.

"So, let's see the dress," she continued, eyeing the bag on the couch. "I bet Regina won't know what to do with herself when we walk in."

"We?" asked Emma, amused.

"Yes. We're going together," she smiled excitedly. "Do you think David will be there?"she asked more quietly.

"I… don't know. He has been MIA since leaving Kathryn. But…" Emma grabbed Mary Margaret's hand reassuringly. "if he were to see the guest list, I bet he'd show," she said confidently.

The brunette inhaled sharply and smiled. "Let's see that dress," she repeated, clearly nervous and excited all at once.

…

Emma Swan's black heels clicked against the sidewalk. With every stride her toned legs stretched the fabric of her tight, red dress. The hem stopped just below mid-thigh, revealing enough skin to make obvious she was open to flirtation. The garment fit her to a T, clinging to her sculpted torso and behind, and its scooped neck revealed a hint of her cleavage. Her perfectly rounded shoulders were emphasized by the straps of the dress which, depending on her position, were sometimes obscured by her styled hair. After tonight, there wasn't a soul in Storybrooke that would say the deputy's body was anything but perfect.

Mary Margaret opted for a less revealing, blue cocktail dress that flared out slightly at the bottom. The short cut of the dress mixed perfectly with her short hairstyle to reflect her bubbly, sweet personality. Both she and Emma were confident in their appearance, but were anxious over the party's guests. Would Regina swoon? Would David show?

"I'm glad we walked," said Emma as she and Mary Margaret approached the Mayor's home. Cars lined the street as far as they could see. "Do this many people always show up for this party?"

"Since when has an invitation from the Mayor ever _really_ been an invitation," Mary Margaret said lightly.

"Hmm. Good point," said Emma, as they climbed the steps to the front door. Soft music emanated from the home and the chattering of what seemed like 50 conversations bubbled out from slightly ajar windows. This was not Emma's scene. A stuffy party with boring music and foreign finger foods was only worth attending if a certain brunette Mayor was host. She hoped the after-party would be less… cultured.

Emma hesitated after grabbing the doorknob, and Mary Margaret reassured her. "Emma Swan, you look amazing. And you have something Regina wants."

"You're right. Screw this anxiety. I'm totally in control," she said in an attempt to convince herself. "And you, Mary Margaret, are clearly something David wants. If he's here, don't play it safe."

The brunette inhaled quickly and nodded.

Both women stepped inside the busy home.

"Oh fuck," Emma said under her breath, trying to hide the expletive from Mary Margaret.

The deputy had spotted Regina upon entering the house. The Mayor hadn't noticed the new arrivals and was deep in conversation with two men in suits, probably members of the town council.

Emma's legs felt like jelly. And in a few seconds, she would need a ventilator.

Regina was in a tight, black dress cut above the knee. A subtle black, satin tuxedo stripe ran down each side of the dress, heightening its formalness. The thicker straps left her shoulders exposed and her dress had a scooped neck similar to Emma's, revealing just the top of her full bust. Emma was only used to seeing Regina in conservative blouses and shirts, and so she took a moment to drink in Regina's exposed skin. She had the most amazing body, Emma thought, her eyes traveling from the Mayor's neck, to her shoulders, to her cleavage and down her flat stomach which dipped in slightly halfway down, suggesting a musculature that Emma hadn't been aware of before. Her strong legs seemed to go on forever before passing over perfectly proportioned calves and ending in patent black stilettos.

Emma's confidence receded.

Mary Margaret's hushed voice filled her ear. "Emma, remember what I said? People have turned around to look at you, and by the looks of it, they're either jealous or approving. But you'll look even better, when you take ownership of it, okay?"

Emma was brought out of her trance. What would she do without Mary Margaret? The woman was her rock, and was wise beyond her years. Emma had benefitted countless times from her advice and clear-headedness, and now was no different.

"Let's go get some liquor," said Emma, exhaling excitedly and grabbing her roommate's arm. The dining room looked different than she remembered it. The table had been removed, leaving a large open space and white linen-covered, long tables lined the walls. They were topped with wine glasses, a punch bowl, and food items which were constantly being replaced by caterers.

Emma reached for a glass of white wine and surveyed the room. A splash of red, black, and skin entered her peripheral vision. The deputy turned to Mary Margaret with a chuckle.

"I've always admired Ruby's spunk," said the teacher as she sipped her drink. The redhead caught a glimpse of the two of them and headed over, attractive young man in tow.

"You two look incredible!" she said sincerely, looking both women up and down. "This is Seth, he works at the fire department," she said, introducing her partner for the evening. "Seth, this is deputy Emma Swann and you know Mary Margaret already."

He bowed his head slightly, "It's a pleasure really."

The group drank a few glasses of wine over friendly conversation. The mine incident, the inn, the school, and the police department were all topics of discussion. Emma was fully engaged, but found herself glancing around occasionally in hopes of seeing Regina. She was a bit disappointed that the Mayor hadn't sought her out.

"So..." said Ruby, a mischievous smile forming. "No offense to Mayor Mills, but this party is lacking a little… energy, don't you think?" She looked at Seth who had a similar look on his face. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a flask.

"Are we seriously back in high school, guys? You can't be serious," Emma said, grinning. She actually approved of spiking the bowl, but she felt, as deputy, she had a small obligation to object. Seth emptied the entire flask into the punch while whistling a cheerful tune. He then helped himself to a full glass. A couple of oblivious people then walked over and helped themselves. Emma smiled even bigger. Maybe the party would get more interesting.

Forty-five minutes later, many of the older guests had left, yawning. There were about 30 people remaining, all younger, energetic members of Storybrooke. The decibel level had risen to twice the level it had been at Emma's arrival, and laughter could constantly be heard in various areas of the home.

"Looks like fashionably late was the best time to show," said a deep voice behind Mary Margaret. She turned to see David, dressed in a black suit and skinny tie. "Whoah, somebody took a while to get hot," Emma thought to herself. She looked to the brunette, who was, now, glowing.

"David, it's nice to see you," she said, politely.

He smiled in his charming manner. "Well, it was time I left the apartment. Besides, I heard this was the party of the year. I didn't want to miss anything so… "

His stared into Mary Margaret's eyes and lowered his voice, "special."

The teacher looked down to her feet and back up to David. "You know what, though? It's a shame no one is dancing," he said. "Mary Margaret?" he asked, extending his hand in invitation. She sat her glass down and placed her small hand into his. The couple made their way to the open area in the middle of the room and danced slowly to the piano melody trickling out from hidden speakers. Within a minute, four other couples had followed the example. Through the sea of swaying dresses and jackets, Emma focused on David and Mary Margaret. They talked quietly to one another as David's strong hand directed his partner to the music. He leaned down and whispered something to her and the teacher responded by moving closer in to him. The teacher looked back at Emma out of the corner of her eye and mouthed, "Thank you," before closing her eyes and holding tighter onto David.

The front door opened and in walked the Sheriff and his date, a beautiful dark haired girl, younger than Emma. Graham smiled upon seeing her and walked into the room. "Emma, you look stunning. I'd like you to meet Sarah, my date. Sarah, this is Deputy Swan, the one I told you about," he said as Sarah shook Emma's hand. She smiled.

"So you're the one who refuses to wear a uniform," she said, looking Emma up and down. "I can see why. Looking like that, I think you could probably convince anyone to do anything," she complimented. Emma was relieved that Sarah hadn't been made insecure by Graham's introduction. It meant a drama-free night. At least in one respect.

Black filled her vision. Regina had walked to the door, apparently showing a couple out. She was carrying an empty wine glass which had been marked in her dark red lipstick. Still in conversation, she turned to the female of the couple, whose back was toward Emma.

Eye contact.

Regina's dark eyes met Emma's. The wine glass fell to the carpet, making no sound and leaving no stain. The dark haired woman focused back on her present company and waved her hand apologetically while apparently making some comedic comment. The couple laughed and Regina bent over to pick up the glass, exposing more of her chest than would be visible in her normal, standing position. The Mayor's eyes moved upward, and pulled Emma in. She smiled devilishly as her fingers wrapped around the crystal, and even after securing the glass, she maintained her bent position and eye contact.

Emma held her gaze. The Mayor was starting foreplay in the foyer, across the room, and the blonde loved it. The liquid confidence all of a sudden mixed with her natural confidence, and Emma smiled. She winked slightly before turning around to refill her glass. As Regina stood, she couldn't remove her gaze from the blonde's backside.

"Clever," she thought, as her guests shook her from her trance.

"Goodnight, Mayor Mills. Thank you for a wonderful evening," they said sincerely, as Regina nodded and closed the door behind them. Instead of heading into the dining room, she retreated further into the hallway. She needed something stronger than wine if she was to resist Emma Swan for the rest of the night. Cider sloshed into her glass.

Emma gulped down the remaining few swallows in her punch glass. She hoped her glass of wine earlier wouldn't mix terribly with the liquor she had defaulted to after Seth's little experiment.

Ruby turned to the blonde and whispered, "Are you going to stand here all night looking that hot or are you going to use it to your advantage?"

Emma bit her lip in thought. Certainly Regina would come back in a second.

"Well, if you won't go to her, I'll bring her to you," said the red-head. She held out her hand in front of Seth, who apparently was both a boyfriend and a purse. He pulled out an iPod and placed it in Ruby's hand. "This music is terrible. I mean, this is a party, not an elevator," she said, her words slurring a bit.

Before Emma could object, Ruby walked to the corner of the room. How she knew where the audio equipment was stored, Emma had no idea, but within a minute a pounding bass and electric notes filled the room.

Ruby giggled and grabbed Seth's hand. Pitbull and Neyo's "Give me Everything" shook the room. The remaining party-goers didn't seem to mind, and in fact, those who had been standing previously, took to the floor, liquor providing them fluidity to dance.

Graham walked over without his date. "Sarah stepped outside for some air. Want to dance?" he asked. Emma eyed him cautiously, hoping his invitation was purely platonic. "Okay, but not in these," she said, pointing to her heels. After kicking them off in the corner, as many women had already done, she walked with Graham to the 'dance floor' and both she and the Sheriff began to let loose. Emma was starting to really enjoy herself. It had been a while since she let herself have fun, and she was happy to see her friends around her, enjoying the night. Mary Margaret and David were dancing together, quickly. Emma was impressed over David's rhythm and movement – she would have never pegged him as being a great dancer. Mary Margaret was laughing, very much impressed by her partner's skill and lack of inhibition. The blonde laughed out loud and got a little closer to the Sheriff, letting him spin her a time or two before separating again.

Regina's ears perked up. "What the hell is that?" she thought, as pulsating club music floated down the hallway.

"Tonight. I want all of you tonight. Give me everything tonight…" she heard.

"What the fuck is that?" she said out loud, though she couldn't ignore the intoxicating rhythm that was now flowing through her.

"Okay, this is not a goddamn dance club," she said as she walked toward the dining room.

She turned the corner.

Someone had turned off the lights in the room, which meant only the hallway and kitchen lights were providing any glow to the room. A mob of twenty people danced, laughed, and yelled happily as they began to sweat. Regina was appalled. This had never happened at one of her parties. It couldn't happen now. It was unrefined and disorderly.

But the cider was kicking in. And her condemnation was being drowned by it. She looked at the faces of her guests. They were clearly enjoying themselves, more so than she remembered at her previous appreciation parties. And these were the people who worked hardest in Storybrooke… they deserved to let loose, didn't they? Regina smiled and relaxed. She sipped more of her cider and tried to find a certain blonde in the mob.

Her hand tightened around her glass. Why was Emma dancing with _him_? She watched as Graham took Emma's hand and spun her around before moving from side to side and dancing in front of her. Emma moved her body …very well, Regina noticed. She swallowed hard in jealousy. She could tell it was platonic, but her mouth tightened and her jaw clenched.

Crack.

The cider glass in her hand had broken and a shard had grazed the pad of her palm. Emma looked up and saw Regina staring at the two of them, clearly unhappy. The blonde stood still while Graham kept dancing, his eyes closed.

"Let's do it tonight," she mouthed to the music, laughing. She was intentionally being silly, hoping to relax Regina.

The Mayor slightly moved her head, in a quasi-nod-shake, Emma couldn't decide which Regina meant to convey. The brunette turned on her heel and walked to the kitchen, the music fading a bit as she transitioned into a new room.

Emma bit her lip, concerned, but not overly so. The liquor was giving her a surprisingly optimistic attitude. Eventually, the song ended and changed to something less loud, and Emma took the opportunity to switch places with Sarah.

Regina opened a drawer and pulled out a dishtowel. She pulled out the glass shard from her hand without so much as a wince and dabbed the area, soaking up the small amount of blood that had trickled out of the wound. She looked up and glanced around the kitchen, and after making sure she was alone, dropped the towel and closed her hand into a fist. Upon opening it again, the wound had disappeared. No blood. No cut. Before she could hide the dishtowel, Emma walked in.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" she said, proud of herself for enunciating every word. "What happened?" she asked, noticing the cracked cider glass and bloody towel.

Regina paused and looked at Emma, up and down. This was the closest she had been all night to the blonde, and it was difficult for her to think in such close proximity to the woman she wanted to ravage.

"I dropped my glass earlier. I'm sure you saw," said a quick-thinking Regina. I knicked myself. Not a problem." She said matter-of-factly.

"No. You dropped a wine glass. And it didn't break," said Emma, confused.

"You're mistaken, _Deputy_," said Regina, emphasizing the title. Emma reached out and grabbed Regina's hands, looking them over for a cut, but finding nothing but smooth, perfect skin. "Must be all the _punch_ you've had," said a knowing Mayor.

"I don't get it," said Emma.

"You're not supposed to," said Regina, turning her back and dropping the cloth in the sink. "Enjoying your little rave with the Sheriff, I take it?" asked Regina, jealousy dripping off her tongue.

Emma laughed. "Madam Mayor, you…" she walked up to Regina, pressing against her back, "are overly dramatic sometimes, don't you think? And I am having a good time, thank you. I think everyone is.

She remained pressed against Regina.

"Anything I can do to make sure you're having an equally enjoyable time?" asked Emma seductively through a whisper. She leaned forward, her hands now on the counter and trapping the brunette. She didn't wait for an answer. Her lips placed a soft kiss on Regina's shoulder, and her hands, now acting as if they had a mind of their own, wrapped around the front of the black dress, squeezing strongly.

Regina tensed, and let arousal spread from Emma's fingertips to her torso and legs. "Yes, Deputy Swan, there is," she said in a confident voice, knowing the music from the adjacent room would buffer their conversation.

"Let me go," she said in an abrasive tone. Even the alcohol couldn't provide optimism to her response, and Emma quickly backed off.

"Regina, I - "started Emma, feeling the need to explain her contact with Graham.

The Mayor stood tall and turned around to face Emma. "I didn't ask for a monologue, Miss Swan," she said in a condescending tone. She raised an eyebrow and she tongued the inside of her mouth, preparing to speak again. And then she broke her cold demeanor with a warm smile. Emma now understood that Regina had been roleplaying, acting hard and cold, acting as Mayor and as enemy, in order to elevate the excitement of the moment. It had worked.

"In all seriousness, though, just…" she eyed Emma up and down, "let me look at you. It's all I've wanted since I smelled your perfume in the hall, which, I believe, was shortly before 7:15pm. For an hour and a half I knew you were in the next room, but my business…"

Regina closed the distance between them and dragged her index finger along the neckline of Emma's dress.

"kept me from my pleasure," she finished, in a husky voice. Emma felt a warmth trickling out of Regina's fingertip, as if she were in a hot shower, pelts of water dripping down her chest. The blonde smiled and said, "Well there's only one thing left keeping you from it."

"What's that?" asked Regina, her finger trailing down the red fabric and to the deputy's lower thigh.

Emma's eyes fluttered. "This dress," she said, in an airy voice.

"No, that's not a problem," said Regina, backing Emma gently against the counter and dragging her hand lightly up inside Emma's dress, from the hem, upward to her middle thigh which she grabbed strongly. Regina's other hand followed with Emma's other leg, both hands now gripping the blonde's thighs. Emma glanced to the doorway and thought about their compromising position. Regina's hands had forced the fabric of her dress upward to where it barely covered her ass. Before she could raise a concern, Regina grabbed tightly and lifted Emma up onto the counter, filling the gap in the blonde's legs with her own body.

Emma was surprised at Regina's strength and how she'd managed to lift all 120 pounds of her onto the counter with hardly any effort. Of course her surprise was instantly replaced by a damp heat which formed between her legs. Regina had to have felt it.

"I hope you realize, Emma, that I have never kneeled to anyone or served anyone," she said, as her hands moved to the tops of Emma's thighs and continued their ascent. Emma felt her heart in her stomach. "But I am more than willing to get on my knees for you," said Regina, lowering her head to the blonde's exposed skin and looking up.

"Now, however, isn't the time. I still have guests to entertain," she said, smiling.

"No," said Emma, in protest, "no, no, don't…"

Regina pulled away and helped Emma back to her feet. "Dear, it will be worth the wait, I promise."

"You…" Emma started, taking a few short breaths, "are evil," she finished, straightening her dress and hair.

"So I've been told," said Regina, blinking slowly. "Let's see what's going on over there," she said, leading Emma back into the dining room.

The music had softened and the walls of the room were lined with guests, all watching one couple dancing. The full moon outside was a spotlight, penetrating the window and casting a white glow into the center of the room. A steady soft melody danced with the couple.

"I can't win, I can't reign. I will never win this game without you, without you. I am lost, I am vain. I will never be the same without you, without you."

The soft melody filled the room, a soft singing voice the only noise as Mary Margaret and David danced. Their emotion was so strong that it was irresistible to watch. They stared at each other, David's thumb grazing the brunette's jawline.

"I will always find you," he whispered in her ear.

She leaned into his chest and both dancers felt the ground leave their feet. There were no spectators, there was no party, there was only a happy ending for the both of them.

The lyrics lingered in Regina's mind. She considered what a relationship with Emma would entail. She would have to tell her….

Everything…

Could Emma love her knowing her past? Knowing the truth? Had she changed enough to earn forgiveness?

Emma's arms suddenly wrapped around Regina's waist and pulled her into a dark corner, away from the eyes of the remaining guests who were focused on the couple in the moon's glow.

"I am lost, I am vain. I will never be the same without you, without you. Without you."

Emma placed Regina's hands on the back of her red dress and rested her chin on the Mayor's shoulder. Regina began to sway to the music with Emma, inhaling her, memorizing her. 

"Can Storybrooke's Mayor handle not being in the spotlight?" asked Emma softly into Regina's ear.

The Mayor smiled confidently. She moved a strand of hair away from the deputy's face, and pressed her other hand a bit more firmly into Emma's back, her fingers grazing over the red fabric.

"I can't look. I'm so blind. I've lost my heart, I've lost my mind…" the music's lyrics fit the emotional desperation of both women perfectly.

"Miss Swan, are you not staring at me right now?" asked Regina in the softest and sweetest voice Emma had ever heard.

Emma was slightly confused but answered, "Well, yeah…"

"Then I'm in it," said Regina, before leaning in and kissing her lips softly and pulling away.

Storybrooke's residents continued to watch Mary Margaret and David dance, oblivious to the other couple dancing slowly in the shadows.


	10. Lady or the Tiger?

Mary Margaret and David were the last to leave. They had even attempted to help clean up the aftermath of what Storybrooke employees would consider the best reprieve from reality that they'd ever had. But Regina refused to let any guests lift a finger in assistance, and while she shared a short conversation with Mr. Nolan about her change of heart and approval of his and Ms. Blanchard's budding relationship, Mary Margaret had used the opportunity to confirm a very important logistical issue with Emma.

"So Emma, should I be expecting you home tonight?" the teacher asked, sincerely curious for two reasons.

And, then, Emma, for two of her own reasons, grinned. "I don't' think either of us is going to play it safe tonight," she said in a whisper. Mary Margaret grabbed the blonde's hand. "You and I will discuss everything tomorrow over breakfast," she said excitedly.

Emma raised both eyebrows, looking at her roommate as if she were insane. "Make it lunch. A late lunch. In fact, why don't I just call you tomorrow when I'm…"

The brunette laughed.

"Hungry," Emma concluded, anticipation beginning to creep down her body, tickling her skin.

"Deal," said the teacher. David and Regina shook hands, their conversation obviously over, and Mary Margaret walked to the door where she grabbed David's arm and stepped out into the cold early-morning air.

Regina closed the door behind her. A soft click followed that reminded her of a ticking clock… or time bomb. Either thought was fitting of the current situation. Time was, indeed, precious.

"Miss Swan," said the Mayor in an authoritative tone, "I do believe we have some things to discuss. My Office. Now," she said, still leaning back against the door, her arms folding after giving the instruction.

Regina took pleasure in Emma's obedience, but took even more delight in her view as the deputy walked in that red dress down the hallway.

Regina had sent the blonde ahead because she needed a moment to herself. For the past few weeks, her life had been consumed by a craving, which left her no time to worry about the consequences of satisfying it. And now, satisfaction was just down the hall and to the right. She had spent the latter part of the evening holding onto Emma in the shadows, feeling a dichotomy of emotion. One half of her reveled in the warmth and closeness that Emma provided – the other half screamed in opposition, knowing Emma could never totally accept her. Regardless of the strides she had made, her hands were tainted with the invisible ash of a hundred crushed hearts. Emma had been a victim most of her life, not someone who easily forgave such heinous transgressions.

But the blonde had taught Regina how to hope, and she was clinging to it desperately as her eyes locked onto her office door.

Lady or the tiger?

She was about to find out.

…

Emma looked around the office she had been in only once before. The circumstances had drastically changed, but her anxiety remained the same. She looked to the couch where Regina had sat in her gray business dress the first night they met. She could remember every detail of that encounter – the way Regina held her cider glass, the way her concern over Henry had given a glass-like appearance to her eyes, her confident strut across the carpet, the way her hands held the door open upon her exit…

She compared the Regina in her memory to the Regina that was currently in the hallway. Most people, after a month of dating, found their partners to be a completely different person than the one they originally met. But Regina didn't fall into that category. She was exactly the same woman, just a bit warmer around the edges. She will still power-hungry, dominant, abrasive at times, and intimidating as hell. Regina was still Mayor Mills, and Emma loved it.

The deputy took a seat in the same chair she'd sat in upon her first run in with Regina and waited for the mayor to enter. She grew hot just anticipating how she'd walk into the room. She didn't allow herself to imagine anything further.

And there she was.

Regina came in, shoeless, and holding two glasses of cider. With the most subtle smile, she leaned against the doorframe and stared at Emma. Her gaze was more powerful than the most skilled of hands. It bore into the blonde and tugged at her heart as if it were on a string. The dark haired woman played maestro to Emma's pulse for a moment before breaking the silence.

"This certainly feels familiar," she said in a voice deep with flirtation and desire.

"You know, Miss Swan," she began, heading toward Emma, "I owe you a lot of gratitude." She handed the deputy one of the glasses and remained standing in front of her. Regina stared down intensely at the blonde, obviously looking for appropriate words. She slowly brought the cider glass to her lips and threw it back, the cider disappearing.

"A little bit of liquid courage," she explained, sitting the glass down on the table. "Bet you never thought you'd see me nervous," she added, raising her eyebrows. "But you see, what I need to say comes from a place inside of me that hasn't been awake in years. So, I'm out of practice. But if I don't say it now, I'll…break"

She sat down next to Emma and turned to her.

"I owe you a lot, Miss Swan… err, Emma," she said, shaking her head in amusement. "Old habits," she mumbled, her eyes casting downward. There was a long pause, unintended by Regina, who was struggling to keep her composure.

Emma took Regina's hand in her own, and squeezed lightly. "Regina," she said, touching her cheek with her fingers. It wasn't Graham's voice. It was Emma's… It was finally Emma's sweet, soft, reassuring voice that whispered her name in the quiet room. Regina's eyes closed and she inhaled deeply. When her eyes opened, the fear Emma had seen had dissipated, and in its place was tearful submission.

"That's just it," said the Mayor softly, tears forming in the corners of her brown eyes. "That's what you do, Emma. You touch me, or look at me, and I can feel the faith you have in me. It … is the most powerful thing I've ever felt, and believe me," she sighed as a tear fell, "I've felt power." She paused again. "Maybe it's such a potent force because I've never felt it, or because it comes from you…"

Emma opened her mouth to speak, but Regina stopped her, "No. There's more. You have no idea how much destruction there is inside of me, and how much destruction I've caused in my life. But Emma, you come near me and barrel through the aftermath and you save me. It's like you pull me out of the darkness. In fact, that's exactly what you've done. And I have no idea how I can thank you for it, but at least give me tonight to try." She wiped her eyes, and a gentle confidence took over. She looked at the blonde, silently asking permission to take control.

Before Emma could respond, Regina moved over to straddle Emma's waist. "I need this memory to last a long time," she said, leaning down to the blonde's mouth. "So, don't hold back… Miss Swan," she instructed with a smile, pressing Emma's shoulders back into the furniture.

Emma's breath caught in her throat. "No, Regina. Tonight you get all of me," she said, losing control. Never before had anyone been so raw and open with her, so willing to become vulnerable. For the first time in her life, Emma felt 'home'. She felt like she belonged inside these walls, with Regina, and she wanted Regina to know it. The blonde reached up to the Mayor's waist.

Everything was wet.

The red dress, her legs..

"Shit!" yelled Emma, now covered in cider. She had completely forgotten that she was holding a glass of Regina's alcohol in her hand.

Regina jumped up in response. "Wow, am I _ever_ going to bed you, deputy?" asked a teasing but, now, slightly frustrated Mayor.

"Tell you what. Let's go upstairs. I know you've wanted to make your way up there since last week's dinner, anyway. You can shower in my bathroom, and then we can resume our… conversation…" she said raising an eyebrow and leading Emma toward the door.

They ascended the stairway together, walking quickly. Emma's heart wasn't just beating quickly, it was punching against her chest, trying to find a way out and to Regina. The anticipation and frustration was just short of unbearable.

"Come here, dear," said Regina, pulling Emma out of her thoughts. Regina was standing inside the door to her bedroom. The blonde entered and surveyed the room, the large bed receiving most of her attention. The comforter and sheets had already been pulled back, obviously in preparation for what Regina had planned for the evening. The sight aroused Emma even more, knowing the Mayor's party preparations had included thoughts of both of them in her bed.

Regina walked around behind Emma, and slid her hands down the deputy's hips, to the bottom of her red dress.

"Shower or not, I'm taking this off of you. I've been imagining doing so all night and I won't be deprived the satisfaction," Regina said in her authoritative tone. Her lips grazed the back of Emma's neck as her fingers began pulling up the hem of the blonde's dress. The Mayor shortly abandoned this effort, though, needing to pull down the zipper in the back. Regina swallowed hard as the zipper's teeth spread apart and revealed Emma's black bra and the top of her matching underwear.

Emma wrapped her hands backward and grabbed Regina's hips, pulling her hard against her. The blonde needed to feel the Mayor against her now exposed backside, and after closing the distance, she leaned her head back against the brunette's shoulder.

"God if only we could freeze time right now," whispered Emma, her eyes closed and focused on the heat being exchanged between their two svelte bodies.

Regina couldn't help but chuckle. "I think I could do that, Emma, but then I wouldn't get to wake up to you… and I must be afforded that privilege." Emma wondered how Regina could be so dominant and gentle all at once.

The Mayor pulled Emma's red shoulder straps away from her neck, and forced the front of her dress down, exposing the deputy's skin inch by inch. To Regina, it was much like peeling apples: removing a thin red film to expose the deliciousness beneath, her mouth then watering at the sweet scent unleashed and firmness beneath her fingers.

She had to taste Emma Swan soon.

Emma took Regina's hands in her own and guided them to the red fabric over her chest. Her strong fingers interlaced with the Mayors and pressed the dress down over her clavicle, over her sternum, and then, over her breasts which were covered in black lace. When the brunette's hands made contact with Emma's bra, she pressed harder into her from behind. Her fingernails scratched against the contrasting texture and she let out a ragged breath.

"Come on, Madam Mayor. You haven't even halfway undressed me. You can't lose it now," teased an equally aroused deputy. Emma was so thankful that Regina was pressed so strongly against her, otherwise she would have collapsed under her worthless legs. Every nerve in her body had decided to fire away from her extremities and toward her center.

Regina grabbed the dress tighter and put her lips on Emma's ear. "I don't ever lose…"

She forcefully pulled the fabric down to Emma's hips, leaving half of her panties exposed.

"…anything," the Mayor concluded.

The brunette walked Emma forward, against the wall, and the deputy steadied herself by placing her hands against the cool wallpaper. Regina began thrusting very slowly, very gently, against Emma's backside, and with each withdrawal of her hips would press the now crumpled dress further down the blonde's thighs. The Mayor leaned into Emma's neck and continued pressing her rhythmically against the wall and, finally, the dress slid to Emma's feet, leaving her exposed and clinging to the flat surface in front of her. She stepped out of the dress that had pooled underneath her and kicked it to the side.

The Mayor pressed her lips into the blonde's neck and inserted her thumbs underneath the black lace at Emma's hips. She pulled down just slightly and then said, "there's a bathrobe behind the door. Be quick about it… or…" she trailed off.

Regina removed her hands from Emma's skin and stepped backward, becoming drunk with the sight of Emma's perfect body.

"there will be consequences," she finished.

Emma took a few short breaths and turned around, leaning against the wall that was now behind her. Now clad in only her underwear, she stared at Regina, confident of the physical toll her appearance was taking on the Mayor. She shifted her gaze from the brunette to her own body and stared down at her breasts, bringing her right hand up to her cleavage. She absentmindedly let her fingers dance in the valley there and then she looked back up to the brunette, who was swallowing hard.

"I'm counting on it," she said before walking into the adjacent bathroom.

The door closed and Regina remained standing, staring at the wall opposite her. She took a deep breath and exhaled and then walked to her closet. Her dress had become uncomfortable in the past few minutes, and she wanted to slip into something easier to get out of, so she slid on a black satin night dress. The material just barely covered her ass and flattered her strong lower frame. She decided to leave her underwear on, because, in her fantasies, Emma had always been the one to remove them.

Steam snuck out from Regina's bathroom and she heard the shower curtain slide against metal. Her chest expanded and heart quickened. The brunette walked over to the foot of her bed and leaned against it, anxiously awaiting the deputy's emergence. She crossed her legs, the black fabric contrasting against smooth light skin and teasing at what lie underneath.


	11. Heartbeat

**A/N: If you get squeamish reading descriptions of hot, swanqueen sex, you probably won't like this chapter. Otherwise, you're golden. Enjoy. **

**Chapter 11. **

Emma Swan and Regina Mills stared at each other in silence, their anticipation akin to that of runners in starting blocks. Both knew that, in mere seconds, a gunshot of feeling would put them into motion. Each woman's ears were hypersensitive, and Emma could hear her heartbeat, its cadence quick and unrelenting. Regina had learned long ago to stop listening and feeling for a pounding in her chest – she had accepted the fact that she was damaged goods and had been made without a heart. She was entirely aware now, however, that the rest of her was in perfect working order. And she swore she could hear Emma's heart from across the room.

"I can't say I ever imagined it would happen like this," the deputy said.

Gunshot.

Emma bit her lip and moved forward, trepidation marking every step. She now stood over Regina, who was still seated at the foot of her bed, legs crossed in her black satin pajamas. The deputy had been quick in the shower, making it a point to only rinse off the sticky cider and freshen up. She hadn't wet her hair, so it still fell around her shoulders and arms in tresses.

"Me either, but…" echoed the brunette in a deep sensual tone. She reached up to the black bathrobe Emma had put on after her shower and let her fingers brush across the towel-textured tie that secured it to the deputy's body. She looked up to the blonde with a dominance in her eyes that made Emma nervous and excited all at once. In this moment, Emma knew Regina was in control and was going to be in control for most of the evening. And she was fine with that.

The Mayor's hands tugged at the robe's tie and easily unsecured it, which made both sides of the garment part. Emma's arms hung limp at her sides as Regina drank in the sight of her now exposed abdomen.

"I see no reason to complain," the brunette concluded from her earlier statement.

Regina uncrossed her legs and spread them apart slightly, and then wrapped her hands around Emma's midsection. She pulled Emma into the space between her legs and raked her fingertips down the sides of her torso.

Emma trembled under Regina's touch, her muscles becoming fault lines. Every part of her shook, bringing her to the verge of collapse as the Mayor familiarized herself with the contours of the blonde's body.

"Regina," Emma said in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

"I knew you'd get practice saying my name," the brunette said, her lips curving up into a red smile. As her fingers grazed over the deputy's hipbones, Regina leaned in and pressed her lips against Emma's taut stomach. Her skin was hot, both from the shower and the moment, and the Mayor figured this is what kissing a flame must feel like. Her lips closed over the area right below Emma's ribcage, and the blonde's muscles twitched at the contact. Emma instinctively brought her hands up to Regina's head and pressed her further into her flesh in an attempt to merge with the woman she had developed a consuming passion for over the past few months.

The Mayor left a trail of kisses down her left side before nipping playfully at the black lace stretched across the blonde's hip. At this point, Emma faltered and swooned a bit. She needed something more to hold on to than the back of Regina's neck. The sensations were just too overwhelming. So she placed a hand on the brunette's bare thigh and knelt to the ground in an effort to steady herself.

It took everything in Regina to not lose her composure. Here was Emma Swan, kneeling in between her legs, the blonde's hand on her thigh, her breathing quick and labored. The submission was a delicious site, and one of which she had been deprived for what seemed like eons.

Instinct took over. Habit almost forgotten kicked in. The cobwebs in Regina's mind cleared and she bit her lip and stared down at the blonde.

"I appreciate the display of loyalty, Miss Swan, but aren't you jumping the gun just a bit? I had planned on making a … _thorough_…display of my appreciation before I allowed you to default to a servile position," she said in a patronizing voice that Emma found slightly uncharacteristic, though not unattractive.

The blonde scoffed. "Since when have I ever been servile with you, _Madam Mayor_," she responded, moving her lips to Regina's inner-thigh and kissing upward toward her silk hem. Regina's eyes fluttered and Emma took the opportunity to place her hands on the insides of the brunette's knees and push them further apart.

The Mayor opened her eyes and looked down at Emma's blonde head in between her legs. It was the most empowering sight and sensation she remembered feeling… from any world. She reached down and turned Emma's chin up toward her.

"Emma, get up here," she instructed softly. The blonde couldn't refuse the sweetly-spoken request and rose to her feet, as did Regina. The two stood face to face, mere inches separating them. The brunette let her eyes travel down Emma's body, and took a slow, steady breath.

"I imagine you've spent a few nights thinking about me, and you, and …this. But I assure you…" Regina said with a thick confidence.

She grabbed both sides of Emma's robe and parted them, pulling down at the shoulders and forcing the garment to slide off the blonde's body to the floor.

"You could never imagine what I'm about to do to you," Regina finished huskily. She pulled Emma's scantily clad body into her own and kissed her lips strongly, her tongue dancing against the roof of the deputy's mouth, and then against the deputy's tongue. Emma felt a strange inertia pulling her toward Regina, who was already pressed flush against her. She wanted to open her eyes to dispel her brain's conclusion that she was actually moving, but the warmth and arousal Regina's body was extracting from her own prevented Emma from lifting her eyelids.

The Mayor's hands snaked around to Emma's back and unclasped her bra, and the blonde dropped her arms to allow the garment to fall to the now growing pile on the floor. Regina wasted no time before letting her hands explore the skin she had just exposed. She moved her lips to Emma's neck while sliding her hands down the blonde's breasts, over her abdomen and down to her hips.

Regina could barely contain her own arousal and fought the instinct to reach down and touch herself. Emma's body did something to her. She wanted to ravage and respect it, control it and please it all at once. She opened her eyes and pulled back slightly to look at the deputy.

"Remember what I told you in the kitchen?" she asked quickly.

"Uh, what?" said Emma, just now coming to and realizing she had been addressed.

Regina chuckled darkly. "I'll refresh your memory," she said, lowering her head to Emma's chest. She kissed the blonde's sternum and trailed her tongue to her right breast, which she closed her lips around and tugged slightly. She repeated her exercise on the remaining side and then slowly lowered herself onto her knees, kissing down the deputy's abdomen.

"Are you remembering, now?" the Mayor asked before dragging her tongue along the band of Emma's underwear.

"You should consider yourself privileged, Emma. You are the only person to have ever seen me on my knees," she said, looking up at the blonde whose mouth was open and breathing heavily.

Emma stared down at the brunette, and from her vantage point she could see right down into the Mayor's cleavage. Her eyes instantly closed, though, as Regina started pulling down the fabric at her waist and covering each inch of exposed skin with her dark, red lips. Regina pulled the blonde's panties down to her thighs and gave into temptation. Her tongue was like a magnet, drawn to Emma's center because nature demanded it be so.

Emma called out as the Mayor's tongue and lips made contact between her legs, and she brought her hands down to Regina's dark hair. But, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push Regina closer. Was she really that weak in this moment?

Regina's right hand reached around to Emma's ass, and her left hand stroked the blonde's right thigh gently as she let more and more of Emma cover her tongue.

But the Mayor needed this to last much longer and she could feel Emma's blood rushing quicker now. She'd have to slow down, or else lose the moment. So she stood slowly and looked Emma in the eyes, her lipstick smudged and her mouth wet.

Emma crashed into the brunette, and kissed her fiercely as she desperately reached down to the hem of the black silk dress. She pushed the gown up so that Regina's underwear was completely exposed, and then pulled the Mayor into her, pressing their centers together.

"You put up quite a front, Regina," said Emma. She dipped her hand between their bodies and wrapped her fingers around the front of the Mayor's panties, squeezing firmly and then retracting her, now wet, hand.

"Who would have thought that you'd like kneeling before anyone?" Emma said in a tone made confident by Regina's now obvious arousal.

"Not 'anyone', Emma. Just you," responded the Mayor, leaning in to kiss Emma again and guiding the blonde's hands down to her underwear in an effort to remove them.

Emma obliged and another piece of clothing was added to the pile at their feet.

Then, Emma pulled the dress over the brunette's head, and finally, both women stood naked. Hands explored, teeth nipped, and voices moaned. Regina pushed Emma onto the bed gently and straddled her before leaning down to whisper, "I remember telling you before that you had no idea what I was capable of…"

Emma then felt a pulsing, vibrating warmth on her lower stomach. Regina hummed slightly into the crook of the blonde's neck. "I meant it," she said in her classic cocky tone.

Hot rain came back. It trickled all over her body, never ceasing. Emma felt as if she were a galaxy, covered in infinite points of sparkling, hot light, each star pulsating and sending a deep pleasure into her body's most inner parts.

And then she felt Regina inside of her. The brunette breathed life into Emma with her lips and used her left hand to support her from underneath as she slid a finger inside of the blonde.

"Fuck," cried out the blonde, as she felt the brunette stroking inside of her. Regina was surprised at the resistance her one finger had met upon entry. She assumed Emma would have had consistent casual sex in Boston, but the blonde's tightness suggested otherwise. The mayor parted her lips from Emma's for a moment to speak quietly.

"Just relax, dear. Don't think. Just feel," she said, and then put her mouth back on Emma's, kissing softly and less urgently this time.

Emma's eyes remained closed, and she saw a bright white light in the blackness. Regina had done… something, she wasn't sure what, but Emma felt her core completely filled, her walls stretched but comfortably so. Always analytical, she opened her eyes to determine the source of the warm, humming pleasure that filled her completely. She left the blackness to find the Mayor's brown eyes, burning hot, now having the appearance of heated honey, swirling around her black pupils.

"I said don't think," she smiled, before using her teeth to pull gently on Emma's ear. Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's sturdy body, pulling her strongly against her sweaty skin, trying to soak up as much of the hot, electric pleasure as she could. It was as if the woman on top of her were a severed power line, powerful and untamed, but not dangerous. Emma relaxed and held on to this … force… yes, that's what Regina was in this moment… the most powerful force she had ever felt, and she allowed it to fill every part of her being and fill her with satisfaction.

And then she felt Regina slide down her body, under the slick sheets.

And the galaxy fell away. Because Regina was inside of her, and outside of her all at once. The feelings Emma had felt before the brunette migrated lower had never ceased, which confused Emma, again. It was physically impossible. But she was feeling it regardless.

She remembered not to think.

The Mayor slid the deputy's legs apart so that she could work the most wonderful of spells. She could already feel Emma's legs shaking with her coming orgasm, and wanted to give her a memory so potent it would never fade, regardless of which world she ended up in.

Regina closed her eyes and dragged the soft, back part of her tongue along Emma's clit. She closed her lips around the outlying areas and shifted her tongue in different directions, slowly and softly.

"Oh God!" exclaimed the blonde, gripping the sheets and tilting her head back.

"Not quite," thought a flattered Regina.

The brunette quickened her tongue's pace, but kept a consistent pattern of movement so that Emma's body could build up for its release.

The blonde's quick breathing became more than audible, and she pressed her fingertips into the back of Regina's head so forcefully that it surprised even the Mayor. The brunette reached up and removed Emma's hands and held each in her own, squeezing firmly.

Hot Rain.

Stars.

Again.

Emma's hands tingled with drops of pleasure as Regina held them. It felt almost as if her hands had become white noise, silently crackling and fizzing with sparks of bliss. What on earth was Regina Mills doing?

Emma felt her orgasm rising inside of her. She felt Regina's soft, supple lips. She felt the smoothness and thickness of her tongue. She felt the pinpoints of pleasure all over her body. She felt a warm, humming joy filling her inside. She felt the ends of Regina's raven hair ticking her thighs. It brewed together like a perfect storm of ecstasy and she felt hot climax rushing to her center, lifting her body upward off the bed. She was swept in the waves, tumbling in every direction, her ears filled with her muted moans and the pounding of her heart. She was sure she was breaking Regina's fingers as she clung on to her throughout the feeling… she wouldn't lose her. Not in this feeling, not in the turbulence of life, not in any way. She wouldn't lose her.

She fell to the bed and felt a coolness drift over her, as if she had just emerged from water. She steadied her breathing and looked around. Regina was kissing her way back up to Emma's cheek, where she nuzzled her and then whispered, "Just a mere token of my gratitude, deputy." She chuckled and kissed below Emma's ear before propping up on an elbow.

"You have an amazing smile, Miss Swan. I think you could melt the coldest of hearts with it," said a sincere and thoughtful Regina.

"Hmm, well that's not all my mouth can do," responded the deputy.

She leaned in to kiss Regina's skilled lips and rolled on top of her. She pressed her upper thigh into the brunette and then pulled away.

"I have no idea what you just did to me. But it deserves a 'thank you'," Emma said lightly, a seductive smile forming.

Regina smiled contently. She could tell Emma was in awe of what had just happened. She just hoped she wouldn't ask for an explanation in the morning. It was nice to have exercised the parts of her that had grown dusty from disuse, and she made a promise that she would neglect them no more… at least as long as Emma Swan was around.

Emma traced Regina's lips with her index finger and trailed it down her chin to her chest.

"You are so…" Emma looked for words as she circled her fingertip around the brunette's chest.

"Good," she said, her green eyes boring into Regina's.

The brunette looked to the side momentarily in discomfort and then back to the blonde. Maybe, now, it wasn't such a preposterous notion. Maybe Emma Swan had sucked out the black from Regina and replaced it with light. Maybe Emma would believe that. And, maybe she would stay.

Emma bit her lip playfully and lowered her head to Regina's waist. The brunette closed her eyes as the blonde's lips closed around her, her hot tongue circling like a bird over prey. Regina couldn't remember the last time she wanted anyone to please her, or wanted anyone to want her. She couldn't remember the last time she wanted anything but chaos and power. Now, everything was different. She wanted Emma Swan. She wanted Emma inside of her, she wanted Emma to hold her, she wanted Emma to love her. She wasn't sure what any of those desires would feel like fulfilled.

Until Emma's two fingers slid into her.

She knew what it felt like to have Emma inside, at least.

"Oh, fuck," cried out Regina as she pressed Emma's blonde head further into her. Emma kept thrusting her two fingers slowly in and out of the Mayor as she blanketed her center with her soft tongue.

Emma couldn't believe it all was happening. She was swallowing the Mayor's arousal, and feeling the inside of her tight body. One thing _was_ believable, though: Emma responding to Regina's command. The Mayor had implicitly instructed the deputy to increase the pressure of her tongue and to adopt a faster rhythm, one that matched that of her thrusting fingers. Regina's grip was inescapable, and Emma found it utterly arousing. She allowed Regina to press her face inward and then direct it outward, and then inward again, and back out. It was intoxicating being directed by such a beautiful and powerful woman.

Regina allowed Emma's tongue and hands to chase away her insecurities and relaxed into the pillow. She focused on the feelings orchestrated by the blonde and felt her orgasm rising. Regina realized Emma Swan had been right: her mouth was good for other things. It was good for baiting her into confrontation and for giving her the best release she had ever felt.

"If you stop now, you'll regret it," said Regina hurriedly, holding on to Emma's head and slightly thrusting her hips against her. Emma continued, more motivated now as she knew Regina was seconds away.

The Mayor's breath quickened and she called out. Regina let every remaining bit of poison inside her escape in that yell, knowing, soon, that she would be judged by the deputy for her past. She came hard, riding out her orgasm as Emma slowed her ministrations and pulled the remaining aftershocks from her body.

Emma crawled back up to Regina with a look of satisfaction and content.

"Are you always this amazing?" said Emma, falling backward onto the pillow adjacent Regina's.

"I like to think so," she responded.

Both women then laughed and Emma moved over to rest her head on Regina's chest.

"Wow," said the blonde quietly.

"What is it?" asked a confused Regina, as she tangled her fingers in Emma's hair. Her eyes closed and she relaxed under the weight of the deputy.

"Your heartbeat. . . it's so strong," she said, before sighing and closing her eyes.

Regina's eyes opened wide in shock.

Emma drifted off to sleep.


	12. Rise and Fall

**A/N: Sorry for the slower updates recently. Law school is terrible. Fortunately, SwanQueen is not. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 12 **

Two weeks had passed since the party. Since the event, Storybrooke had become, simply, a brighter place.

The tension that had previously existed between the local government and the town's residents had been replaced by a personal and cooperative relationship which had instilled trust and respect in the town's constituents for Mayor Mills.

Regina still sent a shiver up many a spine, because she was _still_ Regina Mills, but her growing humanity had not gone unnoticed, and, in fact, it had become quite the talk of the town. Only a few residents knew the impetus behind the woman's transformation, and they had guarded the secret well, because no matter how friendly Regina may have become, no one dared test her amiability by publicizing her private life against her wishes. Even a friendly Regina could be dangerous.

And as Storybrooke and its Mayor had become brighter, so had its deputy. Emma had performed her civil responsibilities with unprecedented vigor and enthusiasm, and had made it a point to get to know the town's residents and become more involved as a community member. In the past few weeks, many a citizen had even discussed her running for Sheriff in the next election – talk which made Emma chuckle. She would never compete with Graham for his position.

Besides, a promotion would put her directly under Regina's control. And Emma liked being on top.

"Madam Mayor, you wanted to see me?" Emma asked as she stepped into Regina's monochromatic office at Town Hall. She closed the door behind her and approached the brunette's desk, placing a cup of coffee down in front of her.

This little game they played had become so exciting. Every so often, when Regina's daydreams became too vivid, she would call Emma and have her come chase away fiction with reality. The brunette had decided no matter how perfect a story or fairytale could be, _her_ _reality_ would always be preferable.

"The coffee is for later, but first…" said the blonde, walking around the desk and stopping in front of the brunette. She placed her left hand down on the dark wood to steady herself and leaned down, brushing her lips against Regina's. The soft kiss drew a faint moan of approval from the Mayor, who brought her hands up to either side of Emma's face. She stood quickly and turned, pressing Emma against the desk. Dark red lips pressed against the Deputy's and Regina brought her right hand down to Emma's jean-clad upper thigh, gripping it strongly.

The ringing phone interrupted their exchange.

"Ahh, if only I carried a gun," said a sighing Emma, as Regina pulled away.

"Mayor Mills," Regina said with a smirk as she picked up the phone. "No, I'm not available to talk with him right now. In fact, will you hold my calls until 3? Thanks," she said, hanging up the receiver.

"Well I certainly don't need the caffeine now… You did quite a job of waking me up, deputy," said Regina. The woman dragged her eyes down Emma's body and back up before folding her arms across her chest. "But believe it or not, I called you here to discuss something professional."

Emma raised her eyebrows. "Oh," she said, standing tall now and taking a step away from the desk. "Should I sit down? Is everything okay?"

"Well I guess that depends on how you feel about having a little extra responsibility," said Regina. "The State is setting up a Forest and Wildlife Agency outpost here and they inquired about any potential candidates for filling what will be the local office. Graham came to me and expressed an interest… he's always been into that, you know… and, well, before I recommend him, I need to know if you're up for me calling you something other than Deputy in public," she said.

Emma narrowed her eyes in thought. "Wait. You're asking me to take the Sheriff's position?"

"Well you are the most qualified, and I take the safety of this town seriously, you know that. Yes, I'm asking you if you want it," said Regina.

"Would that mean I have to work later nights?" Emma asked, concerned about losing quality early morning-hours with Storybrooke's Mayor.

Regina laughed and closed the distance between them. "Tell you what. If you have to stay out later, I'll keep you up longer…" She ran her fingertip down Emma's shirt to her belt and dragged it back and forth over the buckle.

Emma's eyes fluttered. "This is blackmail…" she said with a smirk.

"You of all people know that I get what I want. I'll call Sydney and Graham and let them know," said the Mayor, reaching for her coffee.

"I'm sure Graham will be elated. I swear sometimes I think he was raised in the woods," Emma replied while heading toward the door.

Regina's hand hovered over the phone at Emma's statement. She paused and her mind began reeling over the same questions that had tattooed themselves there ever since she became cognizant of her feelings for the blonde. "How am I going to tell her?" she thought silently.

"Regina, are we still on for dinner tonight?" asked Emma from the doorway.

Regina was shaken from her thoughts and looked up in the direction of the voice. Emma was the best kind of beautiful. The effortless kind, the unknowing kind, and the irresistible kind. In a second she would walk out and leave. The only thing that made her departure bearable for Regina was the certainty that it was only temporary. In a few hours, Emma would be over for dinner with her and Henry and everything would feel comfortable and warm. But were those feelings ephemeral? Would the comfort and warmth of Emma Swan be but a memory if Regina shared her past with her?

"Yes, Emma. We'll both be expecting you. Don't be late," she said with a feigned grin.

The deputy departed and Regina sat down. She rubbed her hand absentmindedly over her heart. Her secrets were becoming painful.

Dinner had gone off without a hitch, or a fire.

Regina, Emma, and Henry had sat at the table for well over an hour talking about nothing and everything, and around 8:45pm, a little boy's yawn brought an end to the evening.

"Are you tired already? You're 10. Aren't you supposed to be addicted to caffeine by now? asked a chuckling Emma as she shut the dishwasher and started its cycle.

"We had a longer practice today. And no, you know Mom doesn't let me have that stuff," he replied.

Emma's ears perked upon hearing Henry sincerely reference Regina as "mom." Things had certainly changed in the past month. "Yeah, for good reason. It stunts your growth. You don't wanna end up being a 35 year old dwarf do ya?" teased Emma in the woman's defense.

"That reminds me…" said Henry. He grabbed Emma's hand and pulled her out of the kitchen and up the stairs. "There's something I have to show you," he said.

Emma's eyebrows furrowed in deep confusion.

Regina was in the shower, prepping for her later interactions with Storybrooke's new Sheriff, and Emma sensed that she was about to be chained with the burden of secrecy. Henry had obviously waited for Regina to be occupied elsewhere so that he could have his little "show and tell" session. Emma only hoped he'd show her something benign and only mildly dangerous. That way, she wouldn't be in an awkward position of keeping something from Regina. She wasn't sure she could handle dishonesty in their relationship, not after all the shit she had been through in her life.

"Look," said Henry, pulling a large book from his backpack.

"Thank God," thought Emma, relieved. It was just the book. Though she was surprised he was still clinging on to his fantastical conspiracy theory, now that things had gotten better with his mother.

"It's time I showed you the rest," he said, flipping through large, illustrated pages.

"Say what?" said Emma, her brows continuing to furrow. She walked over to the bed and sat next to Henry, leaning over to get a better view of the tome in his hands.

"Okay. Look. There's something I didn't tell you before. Ever since you brought me back here, more pages have shown up in the book. At first they were blank. But yesterday, I opened it and saw this."

He placed the worn volume on Emma's lap. "A Queen Will Fall," Emma said aloud, reading the subtitle on the page in front of her.

"She hath crushed a pulse within her hand, and brought in death for pleasure,

Consumed in smoke, a kingdom fell, its misery her treasure,

She hath orphaned child and widowed wife, and parted lovers, too.

No human heart or bones could lie within her onyx tomb.

The years shall pass and one shall scream out for redemption's grace,

And she, like night, will never feel the sunlight on her face.

But she may find her blindfold torn away by fingers strong,

And veil discarded, may come to see it has been morning all along.

Before forgiveness first must come revival and release,

And to her knees the Queen will fall and therein will find peace.

Emma finished reading the words before her and looked to the boy beside her. "Henry this is some dark stuff. I'm not sure I want you reading it," she said, closing the book.

"Emma, I'm serious. It's talking about my mom. And it sounds like something bad could happen to her," he said with eyes pleading for Emma's credulity. "Things are different now. I don't want her to get hurt," he said. "You have to do something."

"Okay, okay," said Emma softly, pulling in Henry for a hug. "I'll watch out for her, okay? Nothing is going to happen, I promise," said Emma, willing to say anything to assuage her son's fears.

"Do you think you can try to sleep right now? It's getting late and I want to go talk to your mom," said the Sheriff. She felt Henry nod against her and she gave him one more squeeze before walking to the door.

"Henry," Emma said, staring at the floor while holding the door open. "Is there something new about me in the book?"

"No. At least, not yet," he said.

Emma nodded. "Don't worry. I'll keep your mom safe. You get to sleep," she said, before smiling reassuringly and closing the door.

She stopped in the hallway and wondered why she had asked Henry about her mention in his book. It's not like she believed his story. She exhaled and grew tired of thinking. The distant sound of a curtain being pulled along a shower rod saved her from the shackles of her mind and she walked into Regina's room quickly, realizing she needed contact comfort from the brunette for some reason.

The Mayor emerged from the bathroom in her black robe, hair slightly mussed and skin glowing. Emma closed the distance between them and pulled the brunette in tightly, closing her eyes and resting her chin on the older woman's shoulder.

"Emma, is everything okay?" asked a confused but receptive Regina.

"Yes Ma'am," said Emma, trying to tease her way out of her mental fog.

Regina chuckled. "You're not on duty, Sheriff. We can drop the titles." Emma pulled away, smirking, and threw her jacket on the back of a chair.

"Henry went to bed. I made sure he was settled." She drummed her fingers on her thigh and turned to Regina, who was setting out her work clothes for tomorrow.

"You know, that book he's got…. I'm not sure I like him reading it," said Emma in a slightly distant tone.

"Oh, come on. Henry loves it. Besides, it's a good escape for reality from him," said Regina from her closet.

"Well it's not all sugar and spice, Regina. Some of that stuff is dark. I read something tonight about some character who apparently got a laugh out of killing parents and watching homes burn. I mean, he spends more time with the characters in that book than he does real people, and I'm not thrilled about him spending quality time with a murdering lunatic," she said sarcastically.

Regina stared at her dull-colored dress shirts and held her breath.

Suddenly, Emma's arms snaked around her waist. "I'd rather him be spending time with you," she whispered before kissing Regina's ear.

For the second time that day, the Mayor found herself feigning a smile while trying to manage the painful, rapid pounding in her chest.

"Regina," said Emma softly, still holding onto her from behind. "Before we go to sleep tonight, will you tell me a few stories?"

"Stories?" asked Regina, her thumb tracing circles on the top of Emma's hand.

"Yeah. About you. I hardly know anything about your past, and I want to know everything," she said sincerely.

Regina swallowed hard. Over the past 2 weeks, Emma had asked her repeatedly about high school, college, past loves, accomplishments, pets, family, and other things people usually share with their significant others. She always avoided the topic easily, as directing conversations was one of her fortes. But tonight was different. There was a quiet urgency to Emma's request, and she knew she couldn't continue to hide from the tenacious blonde.

"Emma, sweetheart," said Regina, turning around now to face the blonde.

"I can't." she paused, thinking hard about what she was about to say. "In fact, I won't." She stared up at an obviously hurt Emma. "You'll just have to accept it," she said curtly, now in defense mode.

"Are you serious?" Emma asked incredulously. "You can't be serious. Because if you were, you would be telling me that you're completely unwilling to open up to me and be honest with me. And if you were doing that, then you'd know we had a serious problem," she said with a faltering voice.

Regina walked out to her bedroom to escape the building tension in the closed space of her closet. The last time she saw Emma this angry, she was mutilating her beloved apple tree. She thought suddenly of how vile an act that had been. It would take years for her tree to recover.

"Are you going to say anything or just walk away?" yelled Emma from the closet doorway.

"What do you want from me, Emma, hm?" her voice now rising in volume and strength. " I could spin a beautiful web of lies for you and tell you how I was first in my class at Boston, and that my parents were hard-working, middle-class people, and that when I was a child I had a fucking dog named Spot! But I care too much about you to lie. I just can't, Emma… I can't tell you the things I've done. I can't." she said, the last bit trailing off in a whisper.

Tears welled up in Emma's green eyes. She grabbed her jacket and threw it on. "Then I can't, either," she said, failing to hide the upset in her voice. She rushed out of the room and left the house, the slamming door echoing through Regina's ears.

She sat on her bed and put her head in her hands, still warm from the shower. They were instantly wet, tears spilling out and down her palms. For a moment, she had forgotten which world she was living in.


	13. Wreckage

**Chapter 13**

The dull pain in her chest and the tickle of tears falling down her jaw were the only things reminding Emma Swan that she was still alive.

She had heard stories of people living for a brief period after their hearts died, but had never thought she'd be one of them, quickly dying as the body hardens into a shell. She stumbled along the streets of Storybrooke, wondering how much longer her brain would allow her the sensory experience of life.

Any minute now, it would be over. And at least, then, she could escape the agony inside her and rest.

Any minute.

Maybe…

Maybe… now wasn't her time. She looked down at her left breast. Her left hand was pressing hard into her chest, trying to press out the severe ache that apparently had no intention of subsiding. Her fingers rose and fell erratically, almost as if they were seizing. It was then that Emma realized she was silently sobbing.

Instead of sound, each outward cry left a thick puff of white hovering at Emma's eyes. She continued to walk aimlessly in the dark with nothing but streetlamps for company, and these ragged breaths left a trail of mist behind her that gave her the appearance of a crashing plane.

She walked.

After a time, she collapsed onto cold, gray steps. She had no idea how long she had been wandering, and only after a minute of scrutiny did she know where she was.

Fitting. She'd die where she had come to life: Storybrooke's graveyard.

The blonde rolled onto her side and allowed herself an audible expression of heartbreak. The guttural moan seemed at place in this setting, and Emma held nothing back. Only when she started to shiver did she realize it was raining quite steadily.

The trickling of the rain teasing her hard skin reminded her of Regina's fingertips. The freezing drops coated her in sensation and buried into her pores, for even _they_ wanted to escape the cold of the night. Emma lay there, allowing the pain of the cold and of her heartbreak to consume her. She closed her eyes and bellowing thunder masked her cries as she salvaged a bit of life from her memories of Regina.

She remembered the subtle blush that crept up the brunette's neck at the coffee shop that Saturday morning when Emma first became cognizant of her intense attraction to the other woman. She remembered the sensation of the Mayor's hand in her own at Henry's game and the way the dominant woman had teased her with the dinner invitation. She remembered the way Regina stared at her the foyer in her home at the Party. She remembered waking up to her the morning after their first night together and letting her own heart join the cadence that filled her ear as she lay on Regina's chest.

She opened her eyes and immediately wished she hadn't. She was staring at the wall where she had held Regina that night they sparred, that night she made a vow to melt the cold woman and win her for her own.

And now Regina was gone. She was as good as being inside this mausoleum with her father, the father about whom Emma knew nothing.

Emma suddenly rolled over and vomited on the now drowning grass. The pain in her stomach and chest had mixed with the dryness in her throat and had made her lurch. She didn't care. She stared up at the sky and let the rain pour over her face and wash away the residue of sickness around her chin and mouth.

The sky lit up as a sheet of lighting arrogantly claimed the night. Emma hated it. She hated it for being so powerful and full of life. And she hated it for having such a short life when she was doomed to live on with this unbearable pain of loss and betrayal.

The blonde had never known familial love. She had been thrown around like a beach ball as a child, popped from home to home, as her current unit found another source of income or entertainment. She had found it hard to relate to others her entire life because she had never spent enough time with anyone to develop a true bond. Her romantic relationships began and ended with apathy and the only real sense of satisfaction she'd ever known came from hunting down pricks and throwing them before a judge so that they could rot a little longer behind bars.

She had become complacent with a life full of nothing.

And then Regina had come along and shown her how empty Emma's life had really been. She had met the woman who made her fill such an intense amount of life that it spilled out and into her past, and made up for the 28 years of loneliness that had followed her like a curse.

Emma had let her guard down. She had convinced herself it would be worth it. She had let Regina trick her into thinking she was worthy of stability and affection. She hated her for it. She wished she had never even come to Storybrooke. As a matter of fact, she'd pack tonight. She would leave this god-forsaken place behind just as she'd done the others, and she'd continue her nomadic style of living until she outran this pain. It was fight or flight, and Emma was done fighting. She was too tired to pick up the sword again.

But then she thought of Henry, and she immediately felt guilty for having contemplated leaving. She couldn't abandon him.

She sat up and let her chest convulse with some latent sobs. There was no running away from Storybrooke. She was a part of this town now, as Sheriff, friend, and mother. She would just have to get creative in avoiding the Mayor.

She let her face fall into her hands. She had no idea how she would pull through this. Apathy had always been her protection, and Regina had convinced her to retire it.

Regina.

Emma said the name into her palms. She remembered the first time she had addressed the Mayor so informally – that day on the street corner after the brunette had returned Mary Margaret's coffee. Regina had crushed her then, too.

The blonde shook her head. She knew Regina was hiding pain. They were kindred spirits in that respect. Emma had recognized very quickly that the Mayor, like herself, was carrying around years of loneliness and neglect, but why? She had to know Regina's past because in order to… love her… she had to know all of her.

She began sobbing again.

There was no kidding herself. She had already allowed herself to love Regina Mills. She had stepped into the minefield cognizant of the danger, but willing to trade trepidation for the possibility of reaching the other side, a place filled with reciprocal love and family, stability and reward. It was a place she had seen from behind the bars of her heart, but never been able to reach. Until Regina handed her the key to freedom.

Lightning mocked Emma once more.

Emma breathed inward, her head still in her hands, and her body still hunched over in dejection. Her flashbacks were becoming too painful, now. They were so real. She remembered the way Regina had said her name that day at the soccer game, quiet and soft, marking the end of an invitation that would lead to a deluge of physical longing a few short hours later.

And she heard it again.

Emma opened her eyes.

"Emma," said Regina, standing some four feet away from her.

She was soaked all over, but the rain couldn't obscure the tears falling down her face.

The two stared at each other, completely broken… just as they had found each other


	14. Absolution

**Chapter 14**

Emma took in the form before her. She wondered if she, herself, looked as pitiful.

In the soaked ground stood Regina, in jeans and a green "Storybrooke Soccer" sweatshirt that were both soaked through. They were obviously the first bits and easiest bits of clothing she could throw on - - Emma had never seen her in such casual attire.

Still, there was no mistaking the Mayor. Anyone else's brown eyes would have blended into the night, but Regina's were different. They always had been. They had always stood out from the background and forced Emma to recognize them, as they had at the mine and the coffee shop.

And the sidewalk and the soccer field.

And the dining room and the bedroom.

"Emma," said Regina, taking two steps forward into the drowning earth.

"I had told myself at the beginning… _my_ beginning, the beginning you weren't even aware of… when I started loving you… that there would be nothing more painful than losing your love. And so I made a decision. I made a decision that you could never know my past, because if you did, you would stop loving me. And…"

Regina started choking on her words, tears falling heavier than the rain, now.

"And I'd rather you leave me and still love me, than know the truth and stop. That's why I wouldn't yield at the house and give in. I knew that once I opened my mouth and the truth came out, you would stop loving me. I can live without you as long as I have your love. But I can't live without you knowing I mean nothing to you anymore…"

She broke down.

Finally.

After months of hardness and insults, and then kisses and promises, Regina broke. She fell to the ground, her knees cushioned in mud and grass, and hung her head low. She clenched her fists and cried softly, her hopelessness consuming her.

Emma didn't know what to think. But she knew how she felt, and she couldn't let the woman she still loved bury herself here in the graveyard. So she found her strength and pushed herself up.

Her legs still worked, after all. Emma was surprised.

She walked over to the small, collapsed figure and then knelt in front of her. The rain pattered rhythmically into the dark earth, and the blonde's breath misted above both of them. Without thought, she wrapped her arms around Regina and covered her, trying to shield her from the omnipotent rain and cold.

Regina wasn't shaking, though. She hadn't been exposed to the elements as long as Emma had. The Sheriff felt movement and loosened her grip on the broken woman, staring down in observation.

Regina grabbed onto Emma tightly, her fingers gripping the blonde's leather jacket as if it were life itself. She swallowed hard and composed herself so that she could continue her admissions.

"But when you left, I started to forget who I was, who you had helped me become. And … my god Emma, I realized in that moment that you didn't just make me fall in love with you, but you helped me learn to love myself… and if you're not with me, I'm not sure I can. When you're not with me, I'm not someone I can love," she said, her voice becoming more steady.

Regina sniffled and cleared her throat.

"I'll be damned if I'm going to let my past mistakes steal away my future, Emma," she continued, now rising to stand.

Regina was back. She was confident and powerful again. Her eyes narrowed slightly and Emma found herself intoxicated once more, just as she had been the night she first returned Henry to the Mayor's care.

Emma followed Regina's ascent, her arms still wrapped around the woman.

Emma was now standing face to face with Regina. Both women blinked as rain fell from their eyelashes, and they both shook as lightning cracked in the sky. Emma felt strange, though, as if the storm were less powerful now… now that Regina was here.

"Regina, I know mistakes. I've dealt with them all my life. No matter how bad it was for you… I'm not going to leave. I just needed to know so that … so that I knew you felt that I was worth it. Does that make sense? I just needed to know I was worth it to you, because you're the _only_ person I've ever wanted to really… love me," Emma said, her voice shaking throughout. The confession shook her from within and tears filled her eyes as the last words fell from her lips.

Never before had she had so much to lose.

"Then come here," said the brunette, leading Emma toward the shelter inside the Mausoleum.

Emma was confused as they stepped inside the dark and musty structure. Before she could ask any questions, Regina pressed against her father's concrete monument. To the Sheriff's surprise, it slid quite easily along the cold floor, revealing stairs that descended into darkness below.

Emma felt uneasy and nervous. "Regina, what is this?" she asked, feeling as if she were about to enter another world far more dangerous than Storybrooke.

"My past," said Regina quietly and reluctantly. The older woman took Emma's hand and squeezed it softly. "Do you still want to know it?" she asked in a tone that anticipated a negative response.

Emma's mind was, all of a sudden, filled with a flashback of the evening. She was in Henry's room and he was showing her his book for what seemed like the hundredth time. He pleaded with her to believe its contents and prophecy and she ruffled his hair as a compromise.

"Emma," Regina's voice brought her out of her recollection.

Emma stared up at Regina. It was dark and, in this setting, the brunette seemed to be but a shadow that belonged to the blackness around her. Emma's stomach stirred.

"If you still want to know, just take my hand," said Regina, in a voice so soft and clear that it could never belong to a shadow. Or the dark.

Emma was reassured and took Regina's hand. They descended the narrow steps into a four-walled chamber that contained what appeared to be drawers. It was colder here. Emma couldn't help thinking that this part of the building must be underground and surrounded by the undead. She turned to every wall, observing drawer after drawer and then, a single mirror mounted on one side of the room.

"Regina, what the hell is all this?" Emma managed to get out, as her mind teemed with a thousand questions.

The brunette stood in the doorway and blinked. She stared at Emma, and calmly said, "my mistakes, Emma. These are my mistakes."

"I don't get it," said a sincerely confused blonde, now visibly shaking from the cold.

Regina walked over and put her hands on either side of Emma's waist.

"Henry was never wrong," said the Mayor. "Everything he's told you… about me, and everyone else in this town has been true."

Emma narrowed her eyes and let a breathy laugh escape her lips. "Regina, seriously. If you're trying to lighten the mood, there are better ways to do it. Just tell me what all this is," she said.

Regina smiled a little… just a little… in a somber way. She reached up and dragged her thumb down Emma's jaw and leaned in to brush her rain-dampened lips against Emma's.

"There's no going back, Emma. And just in case this changes everything, I want one last memory…" she said in a whisper, leaning in and capturing the blonde's lips with her own. Emma, of course, couldn't resist. She had been craving nothing but Regina's touch ever since slamming the Mayor's door earlier in the evening. She tasted cider and felt sparks that she was sure had to be static electricity… otherwise there was no explanation. The Sheriff's hands immediately reached out for Regina's torso and pulled her in tightly, clinging to her soggy sweatshirt. She pressed her lips so forcefully against the brunette's, she was sure she would push her backward, but, steadfast the Mayor stood, unmoved.

Emma pulled back, exhaling warm air, now. She opened her eyes to find Regina staring at her, her eyes darker than she had ever before seen, and she wasn't sure if the change in hue was a result of lust or something else, something … darker.

Regina smiled. "Here goes nothin'," she said semi-playfully in an attempt to hide her insecurity. She closed her eyes and her eyebrows furrowed.

The drawers surrounding Emma begin sliding out from the walls, slowly, inch by inch, until they were fully exposed. Emma was startled by the sudden movement that had been prompted by no one.

"What the fuck is this?" she said nervously, her eyes darting from wall to wall, hesitant to actually peer inside one of the wooden boxes.

Regina walked over to the wall nearest Emma and reached into one of the drawers, her hand removing something dark. Emma couldn't move as she watched Regina's clenched fist come toward her, holding what looked like…

No, it couldn't be.

This had to be a joke.

Emma watched the heart in Regina's hand beat, as if it were still inside its owner's body. She was speechless. And horrified.

Regina bit her lip as a tear fell down her cheek. Upon seeing Emma's disgusted and unforgiving reaction, she placed the object back into its container, keeping her back to the blonde. She couldn't hold back her tears, now that she knew there was no absolution waiting for her across the room.

"I don't believe it. I just… can't," said a dumbfounded Emma.

Regina couldn't allow it. She had gone through too much tonight only to have Emma's incredulity keep her from real confession and honesty. There was only one thing left to do.

The brunette turned and grabbed Emma and led her to the Mirror.

"Emma, you have to understand. You have to believe it, otherwise this has all been for nothing," she pleaded, grabbing the blonde's hand and pressing it into the glass.

A bright light filled Emma's vision and she lost her equilibrium, or so it seemed. She felt as if she were dreaming, vivid scenes playing out before her. There was a lush landscape and a castle and … was that Mary Margaret? And David? They were walking hand in hand over a bridge, both wearing swords and clothing that looked like it had been bought at a Renaissance fair. And then there was Regina, in a black and red gown. Emma couldn't help but smile. And now, another man… an older man came to her and embraced her. Emma's smile dropped as Regina punched into his chest and tore out his heart. This scene faded into black, swirling clouds that swept around the castle she had already seen. Mary Margaret and David put a baby into a wardrobe. Then, Regina appeared above an injured Mary Margaret, laughing, and cursing her. Everything turned black, and Emma collapsed into Regina's arms.

"It's not just a story, Emma," said Regina, pain lacing every single word. "I was horrible. I was just so horrible," she said, before sobbing, her drowned body shaking with regret.

Emma blinked and realized she had fallen to the ground. Apparently Regina had caught her on the way down, and now both women sat on the floor, Emma wrapped in Regina's delicate and wet arms. The blonde was overwhelmed. She knew what she had seen was true, that it had happened. The mirror had the ability of proving truth through image and sensation, and Emma had felt every part of Regina's past in the minute she had touched the glass.

Now that she knew the truth, she had to figure out how to process it.

But despite the power of the images that had just been burned into her mind, the sound of Regina's cries consumed the blonde, taking precedent over everything else.

A long pause gripped the room as Regina's body shook with tears.

And after thought, and a sigh, Emma spoke.

"There is no revelation in the world that could make me stop loving you," she said, her voice so clear in the small, quiet room.

Regina's body stopped convulsing. "What?" she asked meekly, withdrawing her head from her hands.

Everything was clear to Emma now. She understood that Regina's rage had developed for hundreds of years before she came into this world with the rest of Storybrooke. She understood that Regina had destroyed lives in hopes of finding her own happiness. She understood that, at one point, the queen had lived without a heart of her own. Emma was going to be damned before she let her live that way again.

The blonde reached down and took Regina's hand in her own. It was colder than the concrete beneath them. Emma rubbed both of her own hands over it and stared down at Regina, who was now wide-eyed and waiting for Emma's response.

Regina watched as Emma lifted her hand and placed it on her chest, under her leather jacket, and above her heart. The Queen's fingers pulsed with the rhythm of the powerful and quickly beating organ inside. She moved her gaze up to Emma's face and saw her smiling confidently. Regina's fingers then grew warm.

"I know there was a time when may have reached inside me…" she pressed the brunette's hand hard against her chest and then continued, "and ripped this out."

Regina's mouth was dry, and now, even breathing was difficult. Her two worlds had just merged together and fate was but a few sentences away.

Emma stood up and pulled Regina along with her, keeping her hand on her chest. "But, Queen…Mayor Mills…Regina … whoever you are... you're the only reason it's beating at all right now."

"And that's all I need to know," Emma said, crying softly as the last words echoed through the room.

Regina had never before, in all her years, in either world, felt so powerful. Her body hummed all over in pardon and she straightened herself, standing tall. She kept her hand on Emma's chest and bent her fingers over it, scratching over Emma's t-shirt.

Emma leaned into Regina, her left hand lacing around the back of her neck. The Sheriff pulled Regina in and kissed her.. Their lips pressed against each other strongly, but gently, and Emma slipped her tongue into Regina's mouth, wanting to convey her sincerity through the most intimate passion. Regina moaned and felt Emma's right hand slide up her torso and to her left breast, where Emma's hand rested. The blonde wouldn't yield as she continued pulling on Regina's lips where she tasted the rain and release.

Emma finally pulled away and stared drunkenly at the woman before her, who, with her liberation, appeared now more powerful than ever. "My god, Regina. I know I've said it before, but… you have the strongest heartbeat," said Emma, smiling, before crashing back into the brunette, kissing her fiercely.

Regina relaxed into the kiss, knowing this time the curse would be undone. The consequences she could deal with, now that Emma knew… now that she loved _all_ of her.

Eventually, the two women stopped kissing and looked around them. The walls were bare, the mirror gone.

Emma's brows dropped in confusion. "I guess I should get used to having questions now, huh?" she said, looking to an unsurprised Regina.

The Queen chuckled in her classic tone and raised her eyebrows. Though Emma knew her past, nothing had changed. Regina was still Regina… intimidating laugh and all.

"Let's get out of here," offered the brunette, offering her arm to the blonde. The two walked up the steps together and opened the doors of the mausoleum to step outside.

The sun was just rising above the trees, and a beam of warmth hit both women as they stood where it all began.


End file.
